Keith Eickhoff OSB

1922 - 2016

Keith (Hildegarde) Eickhoff, OSB

Saint Benedict's Monastery

St. Joseph

March 2, 1922-June 22, 2016

The Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Keith (Hildegarde) Eickhoff, who died on June 22, 2016, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Monday, June 27, from 1-6 p.m., or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict's Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. on June 28 until the time of the funeral. 

Hildegarde was born March 2, 1922, to Joseph and Mary (Hussmann) Eickhoff in New Munich, Minn. She attended St. Martin Public School in St. Martin and Saint Benedict's High School in St. Joseph, Minn. On August 28, 1939, she entered Saint Benedict's Monastery, was received into the novitiate on June 22, 1943, made first monastic profession on July 11, 1944, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1947. S. Keith graduated from St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing and was licensed as an R.N. She earned a B.S. degree in nursing education with a minor in philosophy at St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo., and an M.S. degree in nursing education from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. She also attended the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., and Weber State College in Ogden, Utah. In addition, S. Keith was certified in coronary care, prepared for pastoral ministry through clinical pastoral education (CPE) and also pursued programs to continue her education and maintain her R.N. status.

Nursing was the focus of S. Keith's ministry for many years. She served as a clinical nurse and educator at St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing, as well as director of the program, and as Director of Nursing Services. Her nursing ministry also took her to Saint Benedict's Hospital School of Nursing, Ogden, Utah, where she worked in nursing education and was assistant director of the program. Here, she also served in pastoral care.

After S. Keith returned to Minnesota, she worked for a number of years as assistant in the monastic library. She was involved in crafts, especially hardanger embroidery, and served in the archives and as a hostess in the Art and Heritage Place. In 2014, she went to live at Saint Scholastica Convent where she undertook a ministry of prayer and community living.

S. Keith is survived by the sisters of her Benedictine community, her sister Bernadette (Sylvan) Nier- hausen and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers John and Arthur and her sisters, Hildebrand Eickhoff, OSB, Mary Dominic Eickhoff, OSB, and Marcella Landeberg.

Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Retirement Fund.