Mary McKenna Obituary

Sister Mary Louise McKenna, SSND, 94, died October 14, 2025, at Benedictine Living Community – St. Gertrude's, Shakopee, Minnesota.
Funeral services will be held Monday, October 20, 2025, at Windermere Chapel, 1705 Windermere Way, Shakopee, with Visitation at 10:00; Sharing of Memories at 10:30; and a Funeral Liturgy at 11:00. Livestreaming will be available at www.ssndcp.org/live/blc Burial in the Good Counsel Cemetery, Mankato, will follow at 2:15.
Sister Mary Louise was born in Shakopee, Minnesota, on May 10, 1931. She attended a small country school for her first four grades and completed her elementary education at St. Mary's School in Shakopee. She enrolled in Good Counsel Academy in Mankato following eighth grade and graduated from the Academy 1948. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato that same year. After profession of First Vows in 1951, she taught elementary and junior high age students in Minnesota Catholic Schools including SS. Peter & Paul, Mankato; St. Matthew, St. Paul; St. Casimir, Wells; St. John the Baptist, Savage; and Holy Rosary, North Mankato, where she was also the administrator. From 1981 through 2006, she served as a religious education director, and then faith formation director at St. Mary's Parish, Willmar and St. Joseph Parish, Rosemount. Beginning in 2006 she worked as director of St. Martin's Way Non-profit based in Rosemount. In 2019 she retired and returned to Good Counsel, providing community service until moving to Shakopee in 2022 with other School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Sister Mary Louise is survived by her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates, her brother David (Sandy) and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Loretta (Weber) McKenna, her sister, Carol McDonald and brothers, Harold and Richard. A longer obituary and a recording of her funeral will be available at www.ssndcp.org/obituaries Memorials may be directed to the School Sisters of Notre Dame; 11 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 310; Mankato, MN 56001.
McNearney-Schmidt Funeral and Cremation, Shakopee is handling arrangements.
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