Benedictine sister leaves Ogden for a position at the order's motherhouse in Minnesota

Intermountain Catholic

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Sister Iris Beckwith greets guests during a farewell reception in her honor at Ogden Regional Medical Center before moving to St. Joseph, Minn. IC photo/Christine Young

OGDEN — Benedictine Sister Iris Beckwith of the Sisters of Mount Benedict Monastery in Ogden has accepted a nursing position with the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict at the Saint Benedict Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn.

The Sisters of Mount Benedict Monastery became members of Saint Benedict Monastery on Nov. 20, 2010, but a handful continue living in Utah to maintain a monastic presence.

Sr. Iris’ last day as a pre-op nurse at Ogden Regional Medical Center was Aug. 17.

She has been a nurse for 41 years; 29 of those years were at St. Benedict’s Hospital, which later became Ogden Regional Medical Center.

Sr. Iris is a 1968 graduate of the Saint Benedict School of Nursing. That same year she entered Saint Benedict Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn., and didn’t know she was going to become a sister when she entered the school of nursing, she said.

"The sisters were always so happy," she said. "Also, my father said I would never become a nurse and I would never become a sister and I had to prove him wrong. After I did both, he would beam with pride."

After her formation, receiving her nursing degree at St. Anselm in Manchester, N.H., and working at St. Cloud Hospital in Minnesota in various positions, Sr. Iris returned to Utah following the death of her father in 1983, to be close to her mother.

"I am really looking forward to my new position and being with our large community and the fact that I will still be of service to the community," Sr. Iris said. "I love to be of service."

Being a nurse and a sister, Sr. Iris has found that people put their faith and trust in her.

"I have really loved being a pre-op nurse for the past 17 years," Sr. Iris said. "It has really been the best of my nursing experience. I have loved the people and have had the best of bosses in Lori Gordon and Leslie Hansen."

Gordon, the medical center’s Surgical Services director, has worked with Sr. Iris for 18 years.

"Sr. Iris loves her patients and they love her," Gordon said. "She has an ability to read people and know what they need. She is a very dedicated nurse and we will truly miss her."

Hansen, the Peri-Operative Services manager, has worked with Sr. Iris for 29 years.

"She develops a relationship with her patients in just seconds and I wish she could stay, but I understand how happy she is with her new assignment," she said.

Benedictine Sister Mary Zenzen, in pastoral care at Ogden Regional Medical Center, said when Sr. Iris does pre-op, the patients are very well informed. "She is so thorough and so specific in her teaching that we will really miss that. And added to that is her humor; how many times have people said, ‘I met Sr. Iris and she told me what I needed to know in such a way that it made it a whole lot easier."

Marcy Thaeler, also in pastoral care at the medical center, added that Sr. Iris’ humor helps patients feel comfortable and cared for, which is important in a medical setting.

"I’ve worked with Sr. Iris as a cardiologist at Ogden Regional for 17 years, and every single encounter has been delightful and fun, and at the same time we are managing to do something good for our patients," said Dr. Michael Diehl. "I’ve also known her through the St. Benedict’s Foundation board, and the role of the sisters with the community has just been magnificent over the years. Sr. Iris will be missed tremendously."