By 
At Father Jerry Holtzman’s Feb. 21 funeral, Bishop Donald DeGrood paused the recessional. A group of Mother of God Monastery sisters sat as an honored group immediately behind the family, and the Bishop took a moment to comfort and console them. Earlier that morning the “holy women on the hill,” had lost their ninth prioress. Later that day, they would lose the community’s second oldest member. In mourning the two women, “the gift of tears” was often received.
Sister Ramona Fallon and Sister Judeen Seeberger represented over a century of a combined service, to both the church and to the people. Each had long histories in the Benedictine community of Yankton. Both were trained teachers who later branched out into other areas of ministry. Both learned leadership as the eldest daughters of large families. And both entered Sacred Heart Monastery and became founding members of Mother of God Monastery on June 15, 1961.
Sister Ramona Fallon, OSB
Sister Ramona Fallon after her profession. Courtesy photo.
Mary Beth Fallon was born on Sept 15, 1939, in Faulkton, the daughter of Edward and Genevieve Jankord Fallon. She grew up surrounded by siblings and cousins around Rockham and attended St. Mary’s School at Zell as a boarder. The school was staffed by Benedictine Sisters from Yankton, which first sparked Mary Beth’s interest in religious life. She graduated from Mount Marty High School in Yankton in 1956. Receiving the name “Ramona,” she professed her first vows in 1957, and made her final profession as a Benedictine Sister on June 27, 1960. She graduated from Mount Marty College with an education degree in 1966.
While pursuing a master’s degree from Northern State in the late 1960s until the early 1970s, Sister Ramona taught and served as principal of St. Mary’s School on the north side of Aberdeen. During this period, Sister Ramona remained a calm, level head as the German-from-Russia Saint Mary’s Parish merged parochial schools with the Irish of Sacred Heart. Although separated by only a few blocks, the two churches and their related schools had a history of mutual hostility. As each become more stubbornly entrenched, Sister Ramona urged unity. When each school refused to take the name of the other, it was Sister Ramona who proposed a new, completely different name; “Roncalli” was the surname of “Good Pope John” XXIII.
The Fallon family. Courtesy photo.
Following her time in Aberdeen, Sister Ramona served as principal of Immaculate Conception School in Watertown, where she was beloved by students and families alike. Jane Dugan served on the school board during Sister Ramona’s tenure and remembered how she advocated for a living wage for lay teachers, even if that meant butting heads with the church’s pastor. Former students Jody DeVille LeFaive and Monica Mahowald recalled shedding tears when they learned their adored principal had been reassigned.
Sister Ramona’s educational career took her to 12 locations from 1959 until 1997, including stops in Webster and at her alma mater, Mount Marty College. She received a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas in 1992, and for several years served as director of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of New Ulm, Minn., and education director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
Sister Ramona Fallon, left, is pictured with Sister Judith Fischer, her predecessor as prioress. Courtesy photo.
In March 2005, Sister Ramona was elected by her fellow Sisters as the ninth prioress of Mother of God Monastery, succeeding Sister Judith Fischer. She was formally installed in the role on June 12, 2005.
Sister Ramona’s prioressship would prove to be transformative for the monastery and the local community. Under her leadership, the Benedictine Multicultural Center opened in the former KWAT building on Highway 81. Now known as Glacial Lakes Multicultural Center, it “welcomes the stranger,” by helping immigrants get settled, learn English, and obtain U.S. citizenship, among many other things.
It was Sister Ramona who invited Father Denis Meier to make his home at Benet Place in retirement and serve as the Sisters’ chaplain.
Perhaps the most lasting impact of Sister Ramona’s tenure was her openness. Seeing that the monastery needed to welcome new members, she opened the doors to allow older, established women to explore religious life at the monastery. Although some have come and gone, those who stayed have become leaders. Current prioress Sister Terri Hoffman and assistant prioress Sister Barbara Younger both entered the monastic life after professional careers and raising children, and now they lead the sisters’ legacy project, the Village of Harmony Hill.
Sister Ramona Fallon, left, was one of two Community Servant Leaders commissioned under current Prioress, Sister Terri Hoffman (center). Courtesy photo.
After her term as prioress ended, Sister Ramona served as local superior of St. Benedict House in Pierre. While here, she ministered in area parishes and at the State Women’s Prison. Returning to Watertown, she was commissioned as one of two Community Servant Leaders.
While she had many titles throughout her many years, Servant Leader perhaps defined Sister Ramona best. Even as she was in end-stage hospice, her thoughts were with others. When she received a visiting Sister, Ramona had one ask: “How is Judeen?”
Sister Judeen Seeberger, OSB
Sister Judeen Seeberger after her profession. Courtesy photo.
Claudia Maria Seeberger was born to Nick and Teresa Duratschek Seeberger at Glen Ullin, N.D. on July 26, 1926. Following the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II, the family moved west, eventually settling in Yakima, Wash., where Claudia graduated from St. Joseph Academy.
Teresa Seeberger named her eldest daughter in honor of her own elder sister, Sister Claudia (nee Antonia) Duratschek. The elder Claudia was a noted author and historian, and this drew her namesake niece to monasticism, and to Sacred Heart Monastery. Claudia professed her first vows in 1947 received the name Sister Judeen, later making her final profession on June 24, 1950. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Mount Marty.
The Seeberger family. Courtesy photo.
Sister Judeen’s career in education took her across the country, from North Dakota to California, to Colorado and Nebraska. In South Dakota, she taught at Webster, Kranzburg and Ipswich. While in Ipswich, Sister Judeen served as local superior and principal of Holy Cross Catholic School. Here, she was a strong voice for her students and advocated for improved learning conditions, even when that put her at odds with the church’s pastor and his idea of aesthetics.
After 25 years in education, Sister Judeen transitioned to parish ministry, and took up a post at Holy Family Parish in Yakima, Wash. This allowed her to be near her family and care for her aging mother. While in Washington, Sister Judeen earned a master’s degree from Holy Names College in Spokane. She returned to South Dakota every summer, always bringing with her a suitcase of famous Yakima cherries to share.
Sister Judeen during her time in Yakima. Courtesy photo.
After creating robust programs at Holy Family, Sister Judeen volunteered to minister at Holy Redeemer Church, a struggling parish on Yakima’s south side. Here, she led efforts to revitalize the parish, which included teaching the children the Chicken Dance. She lived her mantra: “You can be successful working half days – and it doesn’t matter which half – the first 12 hours or the second 12 hours.”
While others may have seen going from the affluent Holy Family to the very modest Holy Redeemer as a “step down,” Sister Judeen saw it as opportunity to more fully serve her God and her neighbor. Although she left Yakima nearly 25 years ago, she left an impression on the people she served, and several congregants expressed their affection and gratitude, calling her “tough but fun.”
Holy Redeemer volunteer June Wetz recalled that Sister Judeen “told the kids that God wanted us to have fun too.”
Sister Judeen returned to South Dakota in 2000, and did parish work in Howard. She spent the last years of her life at Estelline Nursing and Care Center, where she brought joy to her fellow residents and to staff alike.
