Sister Rose Palm

Sister Rose Palm, age 85, of Mother of God Monastery in Watertown, SD, died February 28, 2023 at Mother of God Monastery. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at Mother of God Monastery in Watertown.  Father Denis Meier as the Celebrant. Burial will be at Mother of God Monastery Cemetery in Watertown.  The Funeral Mass will be live-streamed on our website.

Given the name Rose at birth, she was born May 25, 1937, the middle child of Peter and Emma (Wanner) Palm at Richardton, ND.  She grew up on a farm about seven miles SE of Richardton.  She and her two sisters did everything together.  They loved the rural setting where they felt “close to the land and could interact with nature with planting, growing and harvesting.”  She commented, “The miracle and mystery of life and death happened daily right before our eyes.”  The most significant event of her childhood was the death of her mother in 1947 due to complications of childbirth.  A cousin, Margaret Haag, came to help and lived with the family for almost six years.  In 1953, their father married Mary Haag and their family grew to include five more children.

Rose attended elementary and high school at St. Mary’s School in Richardton, graduating in May,1955.  That fall the family moved off the farm to Bismarck, ND and Rose started college at Mt Marty in Yankton, SD.   After one year in college she entered Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton.  She received the name “Augustine”, but when given the option, chose to use her Baptismal name of Rose.  Rose received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Marty College,  a Master’s degree in Education from Northern State University, and a Master of Arts from Creighton University.

On June 15, 1961, Rose became a founding member of Mother of God Monastery in Pierre, SD.   She made her final commitment to the Benedictine life on June 25, 1961, in the first class to do so at the new foundation.

Throughout her life as a Benedictine, Rose appeared to have done it all, teaching almost every grade from first through twelfth, everything from chemistry and biology to piano and accordion lessons.  She ministered in Webster, Watertown, Stephan, and Aberdeen, SD, as well as Richardton and Ft. Yates, ND.  She served in Pastoral Care at a hospital in Des Moines, IA and for nine years in campus ministry at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.

At Mother of God Monastery, Rose served as Lay Associate and Volunteer Director, Vocation and Formation Director, on the Stewardship of the Earth task force, and as Spiritual Director to many.  Because of her quiet and unassuming ways, most were unaware of the depth of her ministries.  Her gentleness was matched only by the firmness of her convictions, which were evident to all who knew of her passion for justice.

Sister Rose is survived by her six sisters: Sister Charles, Sister Aurelia, Dorothy, Angela, Mary Teresa and Geriann, her brother Michael and her sisters of Mother of God Monastery.  

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel  www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sister Rose Palm, please visit our floral store.