Saint Leo University suffered a significant loss when Sister Mary Dorothy Neuhofer, OSB, the dedicated University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian of the Saint Leo Community, passed away on Oct. 14.
Sister Dorothy was a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida since 1949 and was also the longest-running member of the Saint Leo Community. She achieved the prestigious and unique honor of working for the University for an outstanding 50 years on Aug. 15, nearly two months prior to her unfortunate passing.
Despite not knowing Sister Dorothy for very long, Dr. William J. Lennox, Jr., recently appointed President of Saint Leo University, was saddened by Sister Dorothy’s passing. It was Dr. Lennox himself who presented Sister Dorothy with the honor of working for Saint Leo University for 50 years during Saint Leo’s annual Community Day, which took place over the summer.
“I am so happy we got to honor her 50 years of serving at Saint Leo at our Community Day not long ago,” said Dr. Lennox. “I didn’t know Sister long and only met her a few times, but I knew she was a great woman…She worked at Saint Leo until her death.”
Sister Dorothy had developed an intense interest in books from the very young age of four, an interest developed through trips to libraries with her father, a German immigrant who understood how to read in both English and German. Sister Dorothy took this interest to heart when she pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and her Master’s Degree in Library Science prior to joining the Saint Leo Community. The culmination of these efforts translated to a milestone of a career when she began working for what was once known as Saint Leo College on Aug. 15, 1965. She was a Reference Librarian and Cataloger when she first joined.
Working tirelessly in six increasingly significant positions over the course of her 50 year career, Sister Dorothy was instrumental in the development, expansion, and even architecture of the Daniel A. Canon Memorial Library. She connected emotionally with countless students and faculty, acting as a teacher and mentor to some, a good friend to many, and a kindred spirit to all.
“We all are certainly going to miss Sister Dorothy,” said Professor Carol Ann Moon, Reference and Instructional Outreach Librarian and a close friend to Sister Dorothy. “I was so fortunate to have gone on several professional development road trips with her. Sister loved to travel and learn new things. She was…an inspiration.”
Sister Dorothy had an immensely positive influence on others throughout her life. Kenneth Kelly, a Graduate Assistant for the University Archives and Special Collections, originally worked for Sister Dorothy as a student assistant while he was an undergraduate. According to Kelly, who deeply mourns the loss of Sister Dorothy, it was because of Sister Dorothy that Kelly was able to earn his current position and pay for his Master’s Degree.
“Sister Dorothy was truly a one of a kind individual,” said Kelly. “She was a very patient person, but didn’t put up with nonsense, and had a watchful eye for detail. She told me many stories about her time at Saint Leo and about influential people she’d known over the years. I never expected her to leave us like this. As much as she accomplished in her life, I think that if she’d lived longer, she would’ve been capable of so much more.”
Professor Jessica Miller, Adjunct to English, also was impacted positively by Sister Dorothy.
“Sister Dorothy was a perfect example of what makes Saint Leo University notable,” said Miller. “She represented the core values in everything she did, helped to mentor others, and aided the campus so that it became beautiful physically, mentally, and spiritually…I hope that the University will find some way to have future members of our community to get to know her; to know the contribution she made for the University.”
Sister Dorothy was known for valuing not only the people she worked with, but also the idea of the library, more than anything. In addition to her daily tasks of cataloging information and books, assisting students, and tending to her plants, Sister Dorothy helped more people gain access to libraries, helping to push the addition of libraries to off-campus sites and military bases. She was also an active, dedicated, and loyal member of several library-related organizations, such as the Society of Florida Archivists. Sister Dorothy lived a lasting, loving, and selfless life and will be missed.
On Oct. 19, a viewing for Sister Dorothy will be held at the Holy Name Monastery from 3-5 p.m., with a wake of service following at 7 p.m. In addition, a funeral Mass honoring Sister Dorothy will take place in the Holy Name Monastery on Oct. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Please keep the Neuhofer family and the Benedictine Sisters of Florida in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
