Bernadine Florence (Bernie) St. Pierre

Bernadine “Bernie” St. Pierre, age 90, of Staples, MN passed away peacefully on September 4, 2023 at her daughter’s home in Maple Grove.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples. Visitation will be held from 9:30 - 11:00 AM prior to the service at the church with a recitation of the rosary at 9:30 AM. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Staples, MN.

Bernadine St. Pierre (May) was born on August 30, 1933 to Simon and Josephine May in Browerville, MN. She grew up on a dairy farm with her parents and four siblings. After graduating Browerville High School in 1951, she attended a teacher training program in Staples and received a certificate for teaching. Her first three years were spent teaching in a country school in Clotho followed by Oylen. She continued her education at St. Cloud University for a B.S. degree and later furthered her education in administration at the college of St. Thomas. When Bernie accepted a teaching position at Sacred Heart School in Staples, she had found her home. She taught there for 37 years with the last 18 years as principal. Teaching was her greatest passion.

During the beginning of her teaching career she met Phillip Samuel St. Pierre. They were united in marriage on December 28, 1953 at Sacred Heart Church in Staples. Their daughter, Debra Jane, was born September 25, 1954. 

Bernie was quite involved in the Catholic Church and the community which included: an Oblate of St. Benedict’s, Secretary and Chaplain of the American Legion Auxiliary, lifetime member of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary, a standing member of Delta Kappa Gamma Alpha Eta Chapter of women educators and was named Woman of Achievement in 1992, served on the Community Education Board for over 30 years, President of the Hospital Auxiliary, board member of the Staples Motley Area Arts Council, charter member of the Staples Historical Society, organized fundraising buses to the casinos for the Arts Council and Historical Society, served six years on the Advisory Board of the Staples Community Foundation and was nominated as Volunteer of the Year in 2005, was named the Todd County Outstanding Senior Citizen in 2014, was the Trustee of Sacred Heart Church for 12 years, a member of the Mission Circle, and chairperson of the Bereavement Committee for over 20 years.

Bernadine “Bernie” St. Pierre, age 90, of Staples, MN passed away peacefully on September 4, 2023 at her daughter’s home in Maple Grove. She courageously fought cancer four times, but sadly succumbed to dementia. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband (P.S. St. Pierre), and in-laws, Billy Drayna and Pat and George Schilling. She is survived by her daughter, Debra Case; granddaughters, Suzanne (Aaron) Henning and Therese (Jarett) Peikert; great-grandchildren, Ashton, Jayden, Theodore, Margo, and Finnley; siblings, Mary Jane Drayna, Rudy (Karen) May, Jodie (Arnold) Hamann, and Ervin (Mary) May.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers masses to the church or memorials to Sacred Heart Catholic School.

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