Sister Danile (Therese) Knight, OSB

Friday, Jul. 24, 2015

Benedictine Sister Danile (Therese) Knight died July 18, 2015, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn. 

Sr. Danile, the seventh of William and Theresa (Wagner) Knights’ eight children, was born April 20, 1930, in Minneapolis, Minn. She attended St. Anne’s Grade School and three years of high school in northeast Minneapolis before entering Saint Benedict’s Monastery in her senior year of high school. She was received into the novitiate on June 16, 1948. On July 11, 1949, she made first monastic profession and on July 11, 1952, perpetual profession. 

At the College of Saint Benedict, she pursued a science degree with the intent of becoming a medical technologist. That path changed when she was asked to attend the University of Minnesota to pursue a degree in pharmacy – an appropriate move as her father and both her brothers were in that profession. After graduating from the College of Pharmacy at the university in 1954, she was assigned to St. Cloud Hospital, where she worked as the chief pharmacist until 1964. While at St. Cloud Hospital, she undertook advanced education in clinical pharmacy at St. Louis College of Pharmacy in Missouri.

From 1964 until 1980 Sr. Danile served as chief pharmacist at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Ogden, Utah, and from 1980-88 as assistant director of material management. In 1988 she became manager of Our Lady of the Mountains Retreat House, Ogden, where she served until she was elected prioress in 2006. The Ogden community was independent from 1994 until November 2010, when the sisters transferred back to Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph.

Sr. Danile served on St. Benedict’s Hospital and St. Benedict’s Foundation boards and on many committees. She was a sports lover, which included supporting the Twins and Vikings, and she enjoyed Lawrence Welk shows. 

She is survived by her Benedictine community; two sisters, Maureen Arbeiter and Mary Reardon, both of the Twin Cities; and a number of nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by two brothers, William and John; and three sisters, Kathryn Latourelle, Lois Brzenski and Margaret Knight. 

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated July 22 at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn. Burial was at the monastery cemetery.

To honor Sr. Danile’s treasured connection with the people of Ogden, a memorial celebration will be held at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 514 24th St., Ogden, Utah, on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at 7 p.m.