ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Sister Audrey Cleary, O.S.B., 78, of St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island, died Dec. 31 at the monastery.
Sr. Cleary was born Jan. 2, 1940, in Bloomington, Ill., a daughter of Michael Cleary and Clarys (Fulton) Cleary. She attended El Paso Grade School and graduated from Academy of Our Lady in Peoria. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Marycrest College in Davenport, Master of Arts from Marquette University and Master of Arts in spirituality from St. Mary University in Toronto.
She entered the Benedictine community Feb. 2, 1959, and made her final profession as a Benedictine sister July 11, 1965. She taught in Illinois at St. Mary School in Wenona, Holy Family School in Peoria, St. Mary School in Moline, St. Mary Academy in Nauvoo and at Alleman High School in Rock Island. Also in Illinois, she served at the Benedictine religious education center in Peru and as associate director of religious education for the Peoria Diocese. She served in the Rock Island-Milan Cooperative Ministry and as pastoral associate at St. Mary in Moline and as parish associate at Holy Trinity in Bloomington. She also served at Sacred Heart House of Prayer in Rock Island and was director of the Prayer and Spirituality Center at St. Ambrose University in Davenport.
Her funeral was held Jan. 4 in the St. Mary Monastery chapel. Burial is at Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island.
