Sister Rose Marie Larkin, OSB, 95, died at St. Mary’s Medical Center on Sunday, March 7, 2010. She was born February 22, 1915, in Brainerd, Minnesota and entered the Duluth Benedictine community January 9, 1933. She professed monastic vows July 11, 1934, and celebrated her Silver Jubilee of profession in 1959, her Golden Jubilee in 1984, her Diamond in 1994, her 70th in 2004, and her 75th in 2009.
Sister Rose Marie graduated from Brainerd High School in 1931. She earned a B.A. in English from The College of St. Scholastica in 1941, an M.A. in English from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1944, and a B.S. in Nursing from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1958.
Her ministries included teaching elementary school at St. Timothy’s School, Chicago, Illinois; instructor in English and prefect at The College of St. Scholastica; a head nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital, Duluth; staff nurse at the University of California Medical Center, the San Francisco City and County General Hospital, and the Hahnemann Hospital Intensive Care Unit, all in San Francisco, California; instructor in English, speech, and debate at Cathedral High School, Duluth; staff nurse in Coronary Care, St. Luke’s Hospital, Duluth.
After her retirement she was a gardener at St. Scholastica Monastery where she developed the Magnificat Garden, assisted at the Information Desk, and was a writer for The Wanderer.
Sister Rose Marie was preceded in death by her parents Patrick and Margaret (McCabe) Larkin; her brothers Father Harry, Father Martin, Father William, Thomas, and Art, and a sister, Mary (Abell). Besides the Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery she is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and good friends.
A wake service were held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 12, 2010, in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at St. Scholastica Monastery, with visitation until 10:45 a.m. The Mass of Christian Burial followed at 11 a.m. with Father Ron Gagne as presider. Internment was in Gethsemane Cemetery.