Jill Brown was recently honored for her longstanding dedication to the Benedictine Mission with the 2026 Sister Claudia Riehl Living a Legacy Award. The award recognizes associates who exemplify the spirit, commitment, and values that Sister Claudia Riehl brought to Benedictine throughout her years of service.
For nearly 20 years, Sister Claudia Riehl, OSB, dedicated endless energy, time, and valuable expertise to further the Mission and Core Values of Benedictine. In 2011, the Sister Claudia Riehl Living a Legacy recognition program was launched to honor associates who continue to model her commitment through their service to others.
Brown has been a dedicated nurse at Benedictine Living Community – Crookston for nearly 35 years. Throughout her career, she has contributed to countless areas of the organization, consistently going above and beyond her nursing responsibilities to make a difference in the lives of those around her.
In addition to her nursing role, Jill has taught CNA classes, focused on resident satisfaction and currently serves as the community’s Quality Lead. Her talent for writing has also made her a valuable resource to the marketing department, where she has assisted with communications and grant writing. No matter the task, Jill is willing to share her knowledge, lend her talents and step in wherever she is needed.
Her nominator shared, “Jill consistently exemplifies the Benedictine Core Values in everything she does. She is always willing to go the extra mile to make Benedictine Crookston a better place and continually stepping up to take on new challenges. She has been a steady, dependable presence for decades, contributing across departments and supporting the overall success of our community.”
One of Jill’s greatest passions is teaching and mentoring others. Over the years, she has helped shape and guide multiple generations of students, sharing her knowledge and experience while helping prepare the next generation of caregivers. Her commitment to education and training has left a lasting impression on countless individuals who have had the opportunity to learn from her.
Jill also brings something extra special to the community through her four-legged companion, Skye. Jill graciously trained Skye as her service dog, and together they have become a beloved duo, bringing smiles, comfort and joy to residents and associates alike.
For nearly 35 years, Jill has been a familiar, dependable and caring presence at Benedictine Living Community – Crookston. Her willingness to embrace new challenges, support her coworkers and continually find ways to serve others reflects the true spirit of the Sister Claudia Riehl Living a Legacy Award. Her impact reaches far beyond any one role or department, and her dedication continues to make a difference throughout the Benedictine Crookston community.
Previous recipients include: Bonnie Munn (2011), Alice Drew (2012), Roxanne Goulet (2013), Rick Solheim (2014), Peggy Wangen (2015), Nancy Moser (2016), Teresa Persson (2017), Judith Meyer (2018), Tammy Parkin (2019), Jon Myrold (2020), Nicole Volker (2021), Ashley Kraft (2022), Jennie Mason (2023), Staci Wills (2024), and Lucas Butler (2025).
