Sister Mary Loretto (Bernadette) Schneider, 94, died on March 24, 2009, at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, Minn.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Francis Convent on Friday, March 27, at 11 a.m. Friends may call at St. Francis Convent on Thursday, March 26, from 4 - 8:30 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral on Friday, March 27. A wake service will be held at the Convent at 7 p .m. on Thursday, March 26. Arrangements are by the Shelley Funeral Chapel, Little Falls.

Sister Mary Loretto was born on September 13, 1914, in Superior, Wis. She was the eighth of nine children born to the late Joseph and Gertrude (Keppers) Schneider. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on August 12, 1933. She made first profession of vows on August 12, 1935, and final vows on August 12, 1938. She was a Franciscan Sister for 75 years.

Sister Loretto earned a Bachelor of arts degree in dietetics and chemistry from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth; a Masters degree in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and became a certified chaplain at Midway/St. Joseph Hospitals, St. Paul.

Sister Loretto also served as a dietitian, teacher, counselor, pastoral care minister, religious education coordinator, chaplain, spiritual direction minister, social and parish minister and a core member of the Franciscan Sisters' House of Prayer. She ministered in Breckenridge, Little Falls, Sauk Centre, St. Cloud, Alexandria, St. Paul, Prior Lake, Flensburg, Onamia, Shoreview and Albany.

Sister Loretto was preceded in death by siblings: Loretta, Sister M Bernadine, OSF, Marie Schmitz, Joseph, Robert, Dorothy Bruneau and Sister M Josine, OSF. She is survived by her sister, Sister Lorraine, MMS, Huntington Valley, Pa.;her brother-in-law, Ernie Bruneau, Zimmerman, nieces and nephews and her Franciscan Community.

Donations to Franciscan Sisters Ministries preferred.