Sister Doreen Van Uden


Sister Doreen Van Uden, 68, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, MN, died at Assisi Heights on November 21, 2017.
Mass of Christian Burial for Doreen will be held Monday, November 27, at 11 o’clock in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes at Assisi Heights, Rochester.
A Prayer Service followed by a visitation will be at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, November 26.
Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Rochester.
Doreen was born November 24, 1948 in Marshall, Minnesota to Joseph and Bertha (Louwagie) Van Uden. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1968 from St. Eloi Parish, Ghent, Minnesota, made first vows in 1970 and perpetual vows in 1976.
She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, in 1972.
For nineteen years, Sister Doreen was an intermediate teacher at schools in Minnesota: Queen of Angels, Austin (1971-1975), St. Mary School, Tracy 1976-1980), St. Mary’s School, Winona (1981-1985) and St. Mary School, Olivia 1985-1990).
She also taught at Immaculate Conception School, Watertown, South Dakota (1975-1976).
While teaching, it was important to her to also include education on peace and environmental issues.
In 1990, Sister Doreen had a sabbatical during which she did woodworking: making furniture with beautiful inlays, picture frames, jewelry box and reading stand with wood-burned designs.
At the end of her sabbatical, Sister Doreen moved to Rosemount, Minnesota, where she went to Dakota County Technical School to study horticulture and landscaping.
She was there for 5½ months when she had a stroke in February 1992.
After years of rehabilitation in Rochester and a vocational assessment at Courage Center, Golden Valley, Minnesota, she was linked with the Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, Minnesota, from June of 1996 to June of 2014 where she worked in the Horticulture Department.
Since her retirement, Sister Doreen has enjoyed embroidery, gardening and travel.
Sister Doreen is survived by her Franciscan Congregation with whom she shared life for forty-eight years; a sister, Bernadine (Ed) Hennek of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and a close friend Tanya Kern.
Her parents preceded her in death.
Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Development, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Suite 100, Rochester, MN 55901.