Sister Mary Martin (Bernice) Beringer, OSB, of St. Scholastica Monastery, age 93, died at 1:15 a.m. on October 28. She was born April 19, 1922, in Perham, Minnesota, to Martin and Regina (Silbernagel) Beringer, the youngest of five children. She attended Perham High School. After she entered the Duluth Benedictines on September 8, 1939, she earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from The College of St. Scholastica. She made her monastic profession on July 11, 1941, and celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1966, her Golden Jubilee in 1991, her 60th in 2001, and her 70th in 2011.

Sister Mary Martin's teaching ministries included St. James Children's Home in Duluth, Holy Name School in Wayzata, Minnesota, St. John's School in Duluth, and St. Timothy's School in Chicago where she taught and served as the school principal. After her teaching career she served as a child care worker and group mother at St. James Children's Home (later renamed Woodland Hills).

In 1975 she was asked to serve as the Director of Temporalities at St. Scholastica Monastery. She continued in this ministry for 19 years. During this time and for many years following she continued to be an active volunteer and supporter of the programs at Woodland Hills. In 2001 Woodland Hills inaugurated the Beringer Guiding Light Award, honoring Sister Mary Martin for being a guiding light for so many at Woodland Hills. This honor is greatly appreciated as Woodland Hills holds a very special place in her life. As long as she was able, she continued to support the organization and the many workers who carry on the wonderful work that is being done there. The Beringer Guiding Light Award is presented annually to deserving individuals who have positively promoted the work at Woodland Hills.

Sister Mary Martin was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Ambrose, and her sisters, Lorene Wegscheid, Luella Wegscheid, and Kathryn Wegscheid.

Besides the Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, including her niece, Sister Luella Wegscheid, she is survived by many loving nieces and nephews and many wonderful friends.

There will be a wake service on Friday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m. in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at St. Scholastic Monastery. Visitation after the wake service will continue until 9:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. with Visitation from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Burial is in Gethsemane Cemetery. Arrangements are by Dougherty Funeral Home. Memorials to St. Scholastica Monastery are preferred.