Sister Michael Emond

A Mass of Christian burial for Sr. Michael (Eleanor) Emond, a Benedictine Sister of Sacred Heart Monastery will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at Assumption Abbey Church, Richardton, North Dakota with Abbot Valerian Odermann celebrating. Burial will follow at the Benedictine Sisters Cemetery in Richardton.

A visitation will take place from 2:00 – 6:00 pm, Monday, May 19, 2025 at Stevenson Funeral Home with a wake service being held at 6:00 pm.

Sr. Michael (Eleanor) Emond passed away Monday, May 12, 2025 at St. Benedict’s Health in Dickinson.

Sister Michael was born on September 30, 1939 to Harmil and Edna Emond. Due to her premature birth, 3 months early, her bed was in a shoebox in the warmer oven in the old cook stove. She was fed with an eyedropper. She was raised on the same ranch, where she was born, 40 miles south of Malta, MT.

Sister Michael has 4 brothers and 4 sisters; there are two sets of twins in her family. A set of twin boys and 18 months later, her mother had a set of twin girls. She and her siblings grew up helping with all the chores and learning to cook and bake. They went to a country school 1-½ miles from home, walking both ways when the weather was good. Sister Michael went to 4 years of high school at Sacred Heart Academy, Minot, ND. She joined the Monastery in 1955 and celebrated her 60th Jubilee of Monastic Profession July 11, 2017.

Sister Michael worked at St. Vincent’s Nursing Home for 2 years as Director of Nursing and then went to St. Luke’s Hospital, Crosby, ND as Director of Nursing. While there, she worked floor duty and anesthesia. She also served as Director of Nursing at the Nursing home in Malta, MT and did anesthesia at the hospital there.

In 1981, Sister Michael moved to Lemmon, SD where she worked as a Physician Assistant for the clinic and Emergency Room call. In 1982, she moved to Hettinger, ND. She went with the same group of doctors from Lemmon, to work the night clinic and emergency room at West River Regional Hospital. She served in that community until 2007. From April 2008 to June 2015, Sister Michael worked at the Richardton Clinic as a Physician Assistant.

Prior to and during her work history Sister Michael’s studies took her from becoming an RN in 1963, to an Anesthetist in 1972 and becoming a Physician Assistant in 1979.

When asked what drew her to the Monastery she says, “ My love for Jesus and being able to share my love of Jesus and my life in medicine to all I come in contact with.”

Sister Michael resided at the Monastery since her retirement. Retirement never meant much to her as she assumed many other jobs living out her monastic life. She answered all of the online prayer requests. She enjoyed reading, making pickles and candy, walking, and doing any job that she was capable of doing. This past summer she was bound and determined to can one hundred quarts of tomatoes for the winter. She loved going to activities in the area and never turned down an outing.

Her advice to others is to “Pray for guidance – if you hear God calling you to the religious life please respond and know that He will be with you every step of the way”.

Sister Michael is survived by her Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery; sisters, Wendy Radspinner (Salem, Oregon), Darlene Rozak (Delta, Colorado), and Arlene Gae (Wilsall, Montana); brothers, Boyd (Delta, Colorado), and Lloyd (Hermosa, South Dakota). Also surviving her are many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Harmil and Edna Emond; brothers, Noel and David; and sister, Marilyn Metz.