MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Sister Rosalind Gefre, the St. Paul Saints' Beloved "Massaging Nun," Dies at 96

St. Paul, MN (June 17, 2026) For generations of Minnesota baseball fans, a trip to a St. Paul Saints game often included an encounter that could not be found at any other ballpark in America. Near the concourse sat Sister Rosalind Gefre, affectionately known as "Sister Roz," offering free shoulder and back massages to fans while sharing conversation, encouragement, and, when requested, prayer.

That unique and beloved tradition came to an end this week.

Sister Rosalind Gefre, the longtime Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet who became one of the most recognizable figures in Minnesota sports and one of the state's most influential advocates for massage therapy, died on June 15, 2026, at the age of 96. Her passing has prompted tributes from the Twin Cities sports community, healthcare professionals, former students, members of the Catholic Church, and thousands of Minnesotans whose lives she touched over the course of nearly eight decades of service.

A public funeral Mass and celebration of life is scheduled for June 23 in St. Paul.

Born Mary Margaret Gefre on Nov. 6, 1929, in Strasburg, North Dakota, she was the eighth of twelve children raised on a family farm during the Great Depression. Growing up in a German-speaking household, she developed the values of hard work, faith, and service that would guide her throughout her life.

At age 19, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul. The following year, she took the religious name Rosalind and began a ministry that would ultimately span more than seven decades. Her early years in religious life included work in healthcare and nursing-related roles, where she developed a deep commitment to caring for others.

The direction of her life's work changed significantly during the 1970s after she experienced the benefits of massage therapy while addressing her own health challenges. Convinced that therapeutic touch could play an important role in physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, she dedicated herself to studying and promoting the profession at a time when massage therapy often faced public skepticism and regulatory uncertainty.

Many communities still associated massage businesses with illicit activity, and professional practitioners frequently struggled for legitimacy. Sister Rosalind became one of the leading voices advocating for the recognition of massage therapy as a respected healthcare practice. She completed extensive professional training, established clinics and schools, and worked to educate both the public and policymakers about the therapeutic value of massage.

Her advocacy intensified during the 1980s, particularly after one of her early massage operations became entangled in a vice investigation. Rather than withdrawing from public life, she used the experience to push for stronger professional standards and clearer distinctions between legitimate therapeutic massage and illegal enterprises. Over time, her efforts helped contribute to broader acceptance of massage therapy throughout Minnesota.

She eventually founded the Sister Rosalind Gefre Schools and Clinics of Massage, where she trained thousands of practitioners and helped shape a profession that today enjoys mainstream acceptance within healthcare and wellness settings.

While her contributions to massage therapy were substantial, it was her connection to the St. Paul Saints that made her a household name across Minnesota.

Her relationship with the Saints began in 1993 during the independent baseball club's inaugural season at Midway Stadium. The organization, led by owners including Mike Veeck, Marv Goldklang, and actor Bill Murray, quickly developed a reputation for creativity, accessibility, and community engagement. Sister Rosalind became a perfect fit.

Stationed along the concourse, she offered free massages to fans throughout games. What initially seemed like a quirky promotion evolved into one of the most enduring traditions in Minnesota sports. Over the next three decades, thousands of fans lined up for a few moments in Sister Roz's chair.

The Saints estimate that she provided at least 7,000 massages during her years with the organization. The actual number may be significantly higher. Yet those who knew her often noted that the massages themselves were only part of the experience. Fans returned because of her warmth, humor, generosity, and genuine interest in the people she met.

Her presence became so closely associated with the Saints that the organization honored her in 2006 with a special "bobble hands" giveaway, a playful tribute that remains one of the most memorable promotions in franchise history.

Outside the ballpark, Sister Rosalind remained active in community life well into her later years. She frequently spoke about the importance of healing touch and continued promoting the profession she had spent decades helping build. Her adventurous spirit also became part of her legend. She famously went skydiving at age 70 to raise money for community causes and later repeated the feat in her eighties.

In recent years, she gained national exposure through appearances connected to the Netflix documentary "The Saint of Second Chances," which chronicled the history of the St. Paul Saints and the unconventional personalities who helped define the franchise.

News of her death generated an immediate outpouring of remembrance from across Minnesota. Former students recalled her mentorship. Healthcare professionals praised her pioneering advocacy. Saints fans shared memories of conversations and encounters that often left a deeper impression than the baseball game itself.

The common thread running through those tributes was not simply her role as a nun, educator, entrepreneur, or sports personality. Rather, it was her ability to make people feel valued. Whether she was working with a massage client, teaching a student, or greeting a stranger at a baseball game, Sister Rosalind approached each interaction with the same sense of purpose and compassion.

Her legacy reaches far beyond the stadium concourses where so many Minnesotans came to know her. It lives on through the practitioners she trained, the profession she helped legitimize, the ministry she embodied, and the countless people whose lives were made a little better by her presence.

For more than thirty years, Sister Roz became one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in Minnesota sports. Her lasting contribution, however, was not measured in attendance figures, promotions, or publicity. It was measured in human connection.

That legacy endures long after the final inning.

Sources: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet; KSTP-TV reporting; historical reporting by the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Associated Press, CBS Minnesota, The Catholic Spirit, and publicly documented records of Sister Rosalind Gefre's ministry and professional advocacy.

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