w e N ^ Extending the Mission of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and College into the 21st Century Volume 11, No. 2 www.ursulinesmsj.org/alumnae
Fall 2015
Mount Girls getting out and about...
Paula Chandler Gray A73, Alumnae Association treasurer, wears her signature hat at the reunion.
Marian Bennett, center, joins, from left, Sister Rose Marita O’Bryan, Francil Riney Higdon, Marianna Willett Robinson and Theresa Coomes Jones to make plans for the class Brenda Coomes Burlingame A58, left, who of 1960’s 55th anniversary reunion during lives in Missouri, donated her wedding dress Alumnae Weekend. to Carolyn Sue Cecil A73, right, who makes angel gowns for stillborn babies. The box had not been opened in 50 years! Pictured in the center is Kathy Ford Young A70.
Becky O’Brien Branstetter A64, center, dropped off quilts she helped quilt for the Ursuline Sisters to raffle. This was the first year Becky came back for Alumnae Weekend. At left is her sister, Suzy Adams, and at right is Kris Mango, Mount Saint Joseph staff.
Sister Ruth Gehres A51, right, the main presenter at the Aug. 22 Father Paul Volk retreat, poses with attendees, from right, Associate Charlotte Paez, Sister Francis Louise Johnson, Martha Hayden Voges A59 and Gene Boehmann. RIGHT: Ginger Ford Greene A57 and Sister Mary Lois Speaks A62 caught up at the Sept. 13 Mount picnic.
Judith Kranz-Donley displays her 1965 sweater during the 2015 reunion.
From left, 1974 graduates Vickie GibsonGroce, Karen Calhoun McCarty and Imelda Murphy Millay at the Get Moving at the Mount 5K Run/Walk on May 30.
Alumnae Memorial Mass is Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015
Faye Morris Bruce and Kathy Saltsman Blandford, both Class of 1977, visited the Mount in August.
For the first time, this year’s Alumnae Memorial Mass will be on a Sunday morning. It is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. at the Mount Saint Joseph Motherhouse Chapel. This Mass is celebrated in remembrance of all deceased classmates, faculty, family and friends of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and Junior College. Please let us know of any alumnae who passed away in the past year so they can be recognized at the Mass. A memorial list is on our website. Please RSVP for Mass and dinner by Oct. 23: 270-2292006 or alumnae.msj@maplemount.org
The NEW Mount
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Hey, Mount Girls! Alumnae Weekend this year was another “best one yet!” You’ve probably figured out by now that we officers have a great time getting together and planning it. However, your presence is the key ingredient that makes it a Liz Ruckriegel Berger fun and memorable weekend A55 and Carolyn Sue every year. And the fun times Cecil A73 visit at the together don’t end there! Many 2015 Mount picnic. Alums came to the 2nd annual 5K Run/Walk on May 30, and many of us got to see each other again at the Mount Picnic on Sept. 13. The next occasion we have to get together and celebrate (as only Mount Girls can) is the Memorial Mass on Nov. 1. We have lost many alums this past year, so it will be good to gather at the Sunday Liturgy at 11 a.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel to celebrate their lives. We have a special bond as Mount Girls. Our time together is precious.
Carolyn Sue Cecil A73 Alumnae Association President
Dear Alumnae, As I write this, Pope Francis is on his way to the United States. His first visit to our country is an historic event. He will be speaking to the Congress and the United Nations. He will visit with families, clergy and religious bringing a message of love and On behalf of the mercy. As we look back at our Class of 1965, Alice Mayo Roberts, left, years at the Mount, there were presents a donation many times when girls needed to the Ursuline love and mercy. I remember Sisters to Sister the girls who came from South Amelia Stenger A67 America to escape the many civil at the 2015 reunion. wars that were going on at the time. A number of girls lost family members during those years. Some had difficulties in their homes and their parents were divorcing. They were years that our country was facing racial riots, and President Kennedy was killed. As a family, we helped each other cope and continued to learn and grow in knowledge and faith. Today, our Pope is telling us that to grow in knowledge and faith we must practice love and mercy each day with all the people we meet. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if everyone listened to those words and put them into practice? God Bless you and those you love,
Fall 2015
Greetings from the Alumnae Office Dear Mount Girls, You’ve heard the old adage – “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Change is definitely in the air here at Mount Saint Joseph. Your annual Alumnae Memorial Mass has moved to Sunday, Nov. 1, All Saints Day, at 11 a.m. Plan to be present in person or in prayer to remember the Mount Girls as well as family, faculty and friends who have gone to their eternal rest. Following the Mass, we will join the sisters for a lovely Sunday dinner. Contact me by Oct. 23 so I can make arrangements for the dinner. I hope you’ll try to join us. This issue of The New Mount is filled with scenes of alumnae enjoying good times at the Mount. You can read about Sylvia Rightmyer O’Reilly A53 and Carolyn Sue Cecil A73 who joined the ranks of Maple Leaf Award winners. And you will meet Monica Hanna Hill A71 in a new feature, “What One Mount Girl Can Do.” Now is the time to plan for your class celebration during Alumnae Weekend, May 14 and 15, 2016. This year’s anniversary classes end in the numbers one and six (1941, 1966, etc). Contact us in the Alumnae Office for your class lists. We’re ready to help! Finally, I leave you with a reminder of the power of prayer. Saint Angela Merici reminds us to take all of our needs to the feet of Jesus in prayer. All of the sisters here at the Mount pray for you EVERY day. I invite you to join them through the Prayer Request Network. Send your requests to me at alumnae.msj@maplemount.org; call me any time at 270-229-2006 or send me a note at 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356. You can state your name or remain anonymous. Whatever means you use, be assured that the voices of over 500 associates, alumnae and sisters are raised in prayer every day for your needs. May you grow and prosper in the grace of Jesus,
Marian Bennett
Coordinator of Alumnae (Ursuline Partnerships)
Have you seen the Lost Alumnae list on our website? If you “found” someone, please inform our office! http://ursulinesmsj.org/alumnae/lost-alumnae New ^
Sister Amelia Stenger A67
Director of Development, Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph
How the Office of Ursuline Partnerships can be of service:
Prayer Network. Send your prayer requests to
alumnae.msj@maplemount.org. Let us know if you would like to join our prayer network. Deceased Members. Please contact the office with the alumna’s first, maiden and/or married name, class year if known and the date of passing. If you have a photo, we will print it if space allows. Transcripts are available from Mount Saint Joseph. Please send a written request (we need your signature) and a $5 check payable to Mount Saint Joseph. Include your maiden name, graduation year and mailing address. Please allow two weeks. Send request to: ARCHIVES, Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356.
is published twice a year by the Office of Ursuline Partnerships for alumnae of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and Junior College.
Coordinator of Ursuline Partnerships: Marian Bennett Director of Development: Sister Amelia Stenger A67 Coordinator of Mission Effectiveness: Sister Rose Marita O’Bryan A60 Director of Mission Advancement/Communications: Dan Heckel Communications/Graphic Design: Jennifer Kaminski Communications and Development Specialist: Kris Mango 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356 Phone: 270-229-2006 • Fax: 270-229-4953 www.ursulinesmsj.org • alumnae.msj@maplemount.org
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ALUMNAE MISSION STATEMENT
he Alumnae Association fosters loyalty, friendship and community among graduates, former students and the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. In the spirit of Saint Angela Merici, the association upholds Catholic ideals, promotes Christian formation and supports involvement in Christian service.
Fall 2015 3
The NEW Mount
2015 Maple Leaf awards Right: Sylvia Hunt Rightmyer O’Reilly A53, right, smiles as her nominator, Dorothy Weaver Morrison A’55, left, and Stephanie Warren A’73, alumnae association vice president, present her Maple Leaf Award.
Carolyn Sue Cecil, center, holds her Maple Leaf Award next to her lifelong friend Stephanie Warren, left, and one of her nominators, Loretta White Hamby, A’70.
CAROLYN SUE CECIL A73
The annual Maple Leaf Awards were presented at Alumnae Weekend on May 17. The award was established in 2000 to recognize alumnae who personify the value of their Mount Saint Joseph education with contributions to their local faith communities, civic communities and/or Mount Saint Joseph.
Nominated by Mary Ann Shewmaker Payne A72, Loretta White Hamby A70 and Charlotte Janel Mattingly Donahue A73 who wrote the following: We are certain that we are unaware of all of the ways that Carolyn Sue contributes to the quality of life in her community in St. Louis. But we DO know that she is always ready to help persons in need, and that she has carried the values of her MSJ education throughout her life in all that she does. A great example of this is her angel gown ministry where she designs and sews burial gowns with material from donated wedding dresses for infants who are stillborn, or born prematurely or do not live long after birth. These beautiful gowns bring comfort to grieving parents and let them know that others care about their loss. Carolyn Sue has dedicated much of her career to ministry in Catholic schools, serving as director of School Food Service for the Diocese of Owensboro and assistant to the director in the Office of Special Education, Archdiocese of St. Louis. Many have been blessed as Carolyn Sue has shared her talents of singing and playing the keyboard and flute as part of the parish music ministry team in parishes in Owensboro and St. Louis. We all know what an asset Carolyn Sue is to the MSJ alumnae. She has served as an officer of the Alumnae Association for 12 years, the last five as our president. It is a commitment she has embraced enthusiastically and with great purpose. She has been instrumental in getting alumnae reconnected again over the years. She is always rallying everyone to come back to the Mount for Alumnae Sunday and other celebrations. Carolyn Sue, along with the other officers, makes it so enjoyable that we can’t imagine who would not want to come. There are alumnae that never came back until Carolyn Sue roped them in, and now they don’t want to miss it. She keeps everyone engaged through the MSJ Girls Facebook page and posts such beautiful pictures of the Mount for all to enjoy. Through these efforts, Carolyn Sue has brought MSJ alive for those who have not been able to return. We all love the memories that are documented through her efforts. Through the MSJ Girls page and Carolyn Sue’s work, whole new worlds of friendships have been created and renewed. Carolyn Sue does this while traveling back and forth from St. Louis multiple times per year. It is clear that Mount
Saint Joseph has always been very important to her. After all, who else would haul over 100 bricks from St. Michael’s Hall all the way to St. Louis, write on them and bring them back to sell to alumnae! We are honored to nominate Carolyn Sue Cecil and are so thankful for all her hard work, dedication and kindness.
Sylvia Rightmyer HUNT O’Reilly A53
Nominated by Dorothy Weaver Morrison A55, who wrote the following: Only one point is needed to understand why this person is qualified for the Maple Leaf Award. Sylvia Rightmyer Hunt O’Reilly has attended 49 Alumnae Weekends, missing only eight years when she lived in Florida and a few others when circumstances beyond her control prevented her from attending. Her love and loyalty of Mount Saint Joseph may be equaled by a few, but it cannot be surpassed. She is here every year. If you want something done, ask her. She is always willing to lend a helping hand or accept any task. She served as secretary of the Alumnae Association for three years. Sylvia was born on Aug. 23, 1935 in McLean County, Ky. When she was 6, her mother died suddenly. As her mother wished, she and her brother went to live with their maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Towery. She loved living on their farm. In her last year of elementary school she was asked if she wanted to attend Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She was delighted! She loved her four years here. She graduated in 1953 and married her high school sweetheart, Fred Hunt, two years later. They had three children -- Bonita, Alicia and Gene. She now has three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. These children are the love of her life. After 27 happy years of marriage, Sylvia’s husband died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 48. Nine years later, she married Thomas O’Reilly. They live happily on a farm on which she still loves to work. Among her special interests are acting and genealogy. Sylvia joined a theater group in McLean County and was chosen for parts in several plays. For the past 13 years, she has worked in the genealogy department at the Calhoun Research Center. She researches and files all documents on Calhoun and McLean County. She also conducts research for Daviess County and nine other counties in Kentucky.
“Felt so much at home and welcomed so warmly for my first time back after all these years!” “Brought back many memories.”
70 Years
Class of 1945
Sister Mary Irene Cecil, left and Louise Fowler Gaddie
Class of 1960
From left, Marianna Willett Robinson, Sister Helena Fischer, Francil Riney Higdon, Joyce Lee Godfrey, Linda Riney O’Nan and Theresa Coomes Jones
Class of 1952
Class of 1949
Left to right, Sister Joan Walz, Sister Elaine Burke, Sister Mary Angela Matthews and Betty Rumage Bickett.
Cla Sister Mary Agnes VonderHaar searches Sis Mu for the rest of the class of 1952.
55 Years
Class of 1962 Class of 1963 Sister Mary Lois Speaks
Phyllis Thomas Troutman
50 Years
Class of 1966
From left, Mary Murphy Riney, M Margaret Drury, Elaine McCarty Glenn and Phyllis Costello Bresn
Class of 1965
First row from left, Barbara O’Neill Nelson, Anna Potts Urban, Sister Judith Nell Riney, Barbara Higdon Obermeier and Mary Costello; second row, Sue Timbrook O’Bryan, Judith Kranz-Donley, Linda Blandford Daming and Carolyn Sue Pike Barnett; third row, Margaret Jenkins Beville, Jerryon Dant Roberts and Wanda Jenkins Perry; fourth row, Frances Goetz Gaddis, Hazel Bethel Fraize, Rose Jones Wallace and Mary Ann Flood Lynch; top row, Elizabeth Mulligan Belcher and Alice Mayo Roberts
Class of 1974
From left, Tina Weber Smith, Janet Meyer Calhoun, Karen Calhoun McCarty and Vickie Bickett Gibson-Groce
Class of 1971
From left, Mary Danhauer, Rebe Collins Morris and Mary Beth Bic Andrews
Class of 1975 (right):
From left, Mary-Anne Cossey Powers, Kay Drury Clark and Carol Mulligan Hall
Y
60 Years
ass of 1959
ster Nancy urphy
Class of 1955
Class of 1964
First row from left, Mary Ford Vuncannon, Mary Helen Kennedy Moore, Liz Ruckriegel Berger, Ann Settles Gibbs and Mary Jane Mulligan Alexander; second row, Josephine Collignon Stroud, Daisy Dant Gibson, Mary Louis Jolly Higdon and Martha Mulligan Kauffeld; third row, Mildred Clark Calhoun, Dorothy Weaver Morrison, Faye Bell Nix, Jean Spalding Allen and Sister Catherine Marie Lauterwasser
Sally Murphy Buford, left, and Rebecca O’Brien Branstetter
Class of 1967 Sister Amelia Stenger
45 Years
Class of 1969 Betty Drury Byrne
Mary
nik
ecca ckett
40 Years
Class of 1970
In front, Elizabeth “EA” Ringer Mather; second row, Jenny Speaks McGee and Loretta White Hamby; third row, Chris Schwartz Beets, Janet Riney Murphy, Beth Calhoun Henderson, Elaine Mattingly Blandford and Kathy Ford Young; top row, Pat Wooldridge, Carolyn Graves Beam and Becky Henderson McCarty
Class of 1972
From left, Sarah Kranz, Mary Ann Shewmaker Payne, Lou Highland Goings, Patricia Schwartz Cook and Dorothy Ford Riggs
Class of 1973 (right):
Front, Carolyn Sue Cecil; second row from left, Cindy Conn Cole and Rose Turnquist Mann; third row from left, Paula Chandler Gray and Stephanie Warren; top row from left, Mary Pat Mulligan and Brenda Dant McIntire
The NEW Mount 6
Alumnae Adventures
Fall 2015
Send your news by e-mail: alumnae.msj@maplemount.org or mail to our Alumnae Office
Agnes Parker McArdle A46/C48, wrote this note to the many alumnae who were returning to the Mount for Alumnae Weekend: “Many fond memories of the Mount will be with me always. When I came to the Academy to visit the grounds, they were so pretty. Bishop Cotton inspired me to come to the Mount, and I graduated from the Academy in 1946. Being I was so far away from home, (Chicago area) Sister Karl Melony (may she rest in peace) was my mentor. She was a dear. In 1948 Agnes Parker I graduated from Junior College. It was a wonderful celebration but a sad at Mount Saint day leaving friends. My dearest friend, Sister Jane Miriam Hancock, still Joseph resides on the grounds. Her sister and my daughter are still friends. After in 1946 leaving the Mount, I did social work in Chicago at St. Vincent’s. Later (left) and in 1948 I went into nursing and got my RN. I worked in pediatrics and pediatric (portrait). oncology for better than 30 years. I still answer questions in nursing.” Above is a recent portrait.
What One Mount Girl Can Do...Has Done...and Continues to Do By Kathy Ford Young A70
Monica (Hanna) Hill’s first impression when she toured the grounds of Mount Saint Joseph in 1967 was that it was “OK” – she liked fishing, and the park had a nice lake. Upon enrollment, she admittedly had a rough start, finding it difficult to adjust to boarding school rules. With the passage Monica Hanna Hill of time and a change of perspective, she A71 adapted – becoming a “Mount girl.” Several teachers were favorites, but it was Sister Francesca Hazel who helped inspire Monica’s future. “Your compassion for others is your gift. I see you in a class with children,” Sister Francesca said, thus inspiring Monica to enter the field of special education. After graduating in 1971, Monica earned her special education degree from Brescia College in 1975 and began teaching in Marion County, Ky. She taught in several county schools from 1975 to 2007. Monica felt that her emotional-behavioral disabilities students were the most challenging – also the most rewarding. “I feel my mission has been accomplished when I see my students have become capable of going out and providing for themselves and their children,” she said. She retired from the public schools in 2007, and a year later began working the after-care program at St. Augustine Catholic School in Lebanon, a position
she currently holds. For three hours daily after school dismisses, she and an aide assist kindergartners through fifth-graders with homework and outdoor activities. Monica became interested in the Boy Scouts of America in 1989 when her only child, Mikie, joined the group. In the subsequent 26 years, Monica has been involved in every level of scouting, and is currently assistant commissioner over Marion and several surrounding counties. She has proudly seen 12 of “her” Scouts attain the rank of Eagle Scout, with two more awaiting the finishing touches on their projects. Monica married Mike Hill in 1979. Mike (who passed away in 2013) and Monica formed the Lebanon chapter of the Knights of Peter Claver and its Ladies Auxiliary in 2003. For the first six years of its existence, Monica served as the Grand Lady. The mission of the KPC is to involve African-American men and women in service projects for their parish and community. Locally the KPC fundraisers assist those with sickle cell anemia. Monica’s other participation at St. Augustine Parish includes service since 2002 as a Eucharistic minister; chairwoman of the parish council from 2009 to 2011; and CCD teacher for the past seven years. Monica also serves as secretary of the Marion County Arts and Humanities Council, a group she began with in 2007. Monica remains committed to the path she began while at the Academy. “It was hard leaving home, but the challenges at the Mount helped me face the world,” she said. “I received direction, leadership, guidance. I try to live every day humbly and compassionately toward everyone. I owe the Mount a lot.”
We Extend Deepest Sympathy To: • Dorothy Calhoun A44, Paul Knott A46 and Mary Ruth Cecil A51, whose sister, Teresa Carolyn Knott, died Feb. 25. • Betty Rumage Bickett A49, Mary Beth Andrews A71, Vickie Gibson-Groce A74, Lucille O’Neill A42, Sister Luisa Bickett A47, Jeannie Calhoun A56 and Carol Bell A60, whose husband/father/brother, Alvin Bickett, died March 20. • Sister Elaine Burke A49, whose brother, Dale Burke, died June 25. • Joan Sherron Hofman A51, whose husband, Emil Hofman, died July 11. • Sister Marian Powers A51 and Sister Rose Jean Powers A61, whose sister, Sister Ann Roberta Powers, SCN, died June 27. • Ursula Wheatley Alexander A52, whose brother, Pat Wheatley, died April 21. • Barbara Riney Coomes A52, Betty Gail Armendarez A53, Janice Riney Morton A59 and Francil Riney Higdon A60, whose brother, Michael Riney, died July 1. • Doris Mills A54, whose sister-in-law, Sister Ann Miriam Mills, CP, died April 22. • Sister Grace Simpson A56, whose sister-in-law, Mary Helen Simpson, died Sept. 5. • Mary Anne Kevil A58, whose brother, James Robert Kevil, died Aug 28. • Theresa Coomes Jones A60, whose brother, Mike Coomes, died April 20. • Francil Riney Higdon A60, whose brother-in-law, Bill Higdon, died July 18. • Peggy Robinson A60, LeAnn Dant McCarty A67 and Mary Donna McCarty A76, whose sister-in-law, Kathleen McCarty, died July 3. • Rosemary Pickett DeCoursey A62, Ellen Pickett Rajeski A67 and Karen Pickett De Sosa A68, whose aunt, Lillian Ellis Farkas, died July 23. • Mary Jo Riney Kirby A63, Janet Riney Murphy A70, Jane Riney Gaffey A74, Marie Riney Thompson A79, Mary Murphy Riney A66, and Mary Catherine Riney Pfister A51, whose father/father-in-law/brother, Joe Riney, died Sept. 8. See more Sympathies on Page 7
The NEW Mount 7
In Loving Memory...
Sister Eileen
Matilda Ann
Mary E.
Mary Jo
Laura
Mary Bernadette
Marjorie
Angela
Mary Eileen
Kimberly
Fall 2015
Please include the following alumnae, faculty and family in your prayers. May they rest in God’s peace.
• Sister Mary Eileen Howard, OSU, 87, died March 8 in Owensboro, Ky., in her 67th year of religious life. She was a native of Whitesville, Ky. Sister Mary Eileen had a musical soul, and loved to help others enjoy music as a teacher or liturgist. She once said a lack of music “would be like taking all the birds out of the world.” She was a 1947 graduate of Mount Saint Joseph Junior College, and taught music at Mount Saint Joseph Academy from 1954-56 and again from 1967-69. She was a music teacher in Kentucky and Missouri for 46 years, and was liturgist at Mount Saint Joseph (1976-84, 1996-2013). Survivors include her sisters, Ita Belle Howard of Whitesville and four brothers, James Howard of Louisville, Robert Howard of Whitesville, Daniel Howard of Philpot, Ky., and Brice Howard of Owensboro. The funeral Mass was March 12 at Mount Saint Joseph, with burial in the convent cemetery. Memorial gifts for a sister may take the form of donations to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356. • Matilda Ann Hancock Collins C45 died Sept. 1. A lifetime resident of the Waverly, Ky., area, Ann spent her entire career teaching middle school (primarily mathematics) in the Henderson and Union County school systems. She was an Associate of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph and a member of St. Peter’s Church. Her husband, Gene, preceded her in death in 2004. Among her survivors are her daughters, Rebecca Collins Morris A71 and Marie Collins A75 and her sisters, Sister Jane Miriam Hancock C43, Sister Jane Irvin Hancock C47 and Gertrude Hancock Brumleve A54. • Mary E. Blandford Goetz A37 died July 24 at the Carmel Home in Owensboro. Mary retired as an accounting clerk at Sears after 20 years of service. She was one of the first recipients of the Alumnae Association Maple Leaf Award and a dedicated volunteer at the Carmel Home for more than 18 years. Mary’s survivors include her daughters, Angela Goetz Wink A60 and Sylvia Goetz McCauley A66 and her son, the Rev. J. Raymond Goetz, Mount Saint Joseph chaplain. • Mary Jo Osborne DeAngelis A41, age 91, died April 26 in Versailles, Ky. She lived in Hopkinsville for nearly 70 years and was godmother to Sarah Kranz A72. She married her husband, Louis, in 1944 in Follansbee, W.V., where she lived with in-laws while he was serving in the U.S. Navy. In addition to being homemaker, seamstress and cook, she did bookkeeping for her husband’s CPA firm. After raising her family, she enjoyed working at Gordon Cayce Antiques. Survivors include her sons, Louis and John, and daughters Anita, Carolyn and Elaine. • Laura Rose Abell Smith A50 died May 27 in Louisville. She joined the Ursuline Sisters in 1950 and was given the name Sister Peter Claver. She taught elementary grades and served as principal in New Mexico, Kentucky and at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. After leaving the Ursuline community, she continued to teach and retired from the Daviess County Public Schools. She was preceded in death by Bill Smith, her husband of over 20 years. • Doris Ann Hobbs A52 died Feb 4, 2010 in Bardstown at age 76. She was a home health caregiver, a Kentucky Colonel and member of St. Thomas Catholic Church. Her survivors include her sons, Ronnie and Ricky and her daughters, Radonna and Renee. • Mary Bernadette Coyle Downs A53 died Aug. 29 in Louisville. She was retired from General Electric Co. and a member of St. Rita Catholic Church. Donald Downs, her husband of 30 years, and her sister, Sister Charles Marie Coyle preceded her in death. Mary is survived by her children, James, Donald, Kenny, Donna and Bobby. • Marjorie Weaver Slack A53 died April 23 at age 79 in Owensboro. She retired from Har-Ken Oil Co. after 38 years of service and volunteered tirelessly for Immaculate Parish. A gifted writer and voracious reader, Margie was also an accomplished bridge player and lucky poker player. She served as president of the Mount Saint Joseph Alumnae Association for six years and rarely missed Alumnae Weekend reunions. Margie is survived by Bob, her husband of 55 years and her daughter, Jeannie; other survivors include her sister, Dorothy Weaver Morrison A55. • Angela Marie Barr Vantrease A59 died March 5 in Franklin, Ky. A native of McLean County, Ky., Angela was retired from Hardees and a member of the Franklin Community Church. She was preceded in death by a husband, James Dillard and her sister, Sister Mildred Barr, OSU. • Mary Eileen Hunter A71 died Feb 17 in Louisville. A native of Erie, Pa., Mary worked for the Stites and Harbison law firm and the Comedy Club and enjoyed genealogy. • Kimberly Cecil Terry A78 died March 2 at age 54. During her years at the Academy, Kim was a member of the Roadrunners basketball team. After graduation, she became a registered nurse, dedicating her life to helping others and specializing in critical care. She was named Nurse of the Year at Owensboro Medical Health System. She participated actively in prayer and bereavement groups at Blessed Mother Catholic Church. Her infectious laughter and countless stories will be greatly missed. Kim is survived by Kenny, her husband of 34 years and their sons, Christopher and Matthew, as well as her sister, Alicia Harrington A82.
Sympathy
(Continued from page 6)
• Phyllis Thomas Troutman A63, whose brother, David Thomas, died May 2. • Mary Lou Byrne Payne A66, whose nephew, Rick York, died May 29. • Barb Castlen Erpenbeck A67, whose cousin, Tom Hendrickson, died June 29. • Barbara Henderson Harrison A67, Becky Henderson McCarty A70, and Beth Calhoun Henderson A70, whose mother and mother-in-law, Dorothy Henderson, died July 4. • Sister Amelia Stenger A67, whose nephew, Fred Stenger, died Feb. 26. • Joy Tichenor Mitchell A70, whose son, Zack, died March 2. • Terry Mattingly A72, whose brother, Dennis Mattingly, died June 24. • Julia Gosser King A73, whose mother, Julia Greenwell Gosser, died March 12. • Donna Schueler Murphy A74, whose father-in-law, Bill Murphy, died June 5. • Tina Weber Smith A74, whose mother, Christine Weber, died May 10.
Janet Riney Murphy A70 was the first lector at the Nov. 1, 2014 Alumnae Memorial Mass.
Researching a book on her grandmother led her to the Mount
Rebecca Rolfes grew up in Union County, Ky., idolizing her grandmother, Mary Willie Wight. “She was the most remarkable woman I ever knew,” Rolfes said. “She was smart. She was warm and so sweet. She’d play Scrabble with us and read to us.” Perhaps most important, her grandmother instilled a spirit of adventure in her. “She knew that there was a whole wide world outside Morganfield.” Rolfes found out her grandmother was right. She’s enjoyed a career in the magazine industry, and these days she lives in Savannah, Ga., and serves as executive vice president for a content marketing agency. Left to right, Heidi Taylor-Caudill, archivist for the Rolfes decided it was time to get serious about writing a book on Ursulines, Sister Ruth Gehres A51, Lucy Thomason Mary, who died in the mid-1960s when Rolfes was in high school. Rolfes knew one place she would need to start was on the grounds and Rebecca Rolfes sit in Lourdes Hall on June 17. of the former Mount Saint Joseph Academy, where Mary was the valedictorian in 1906. “She came here when she was 13 or 14 and loved every single minute of it,” Rolfes said while visiting the Mount on June 17 with her mother, Lucy Thomason, who lives in Louisville. Heidi Taylor-Caudill and the sisters on the archives staff found many records to help flesh out Mary’s early days. “I’m very impressed with the education that she got,” Rolfes said. “It was so ambitious for girls at that time.” There were four girls in Mary’s graduating class. Thomason said that Mother Aloysius Willett, the first mother superior, practically raised Mary. “One of mother’s brothers is named Aloysius.” Thomason, the youngest of nine, said, “Mother was really an astounding person of the day. She came to school by train and was picked up in a buggy in one of the small towns, I think Sorgho.” Among the jewels of information found was in the book “A Souvenir of Mount St. Joseph’s Ursuline Academy” published in 1907. Mary was one of the toastmistresses for the first Alumnae Day at Maple Mount in 1905. Records show Mary was involved in seemingly every activity offered at the Academy, Rolfes said. “I don’t know what the school did after she graduated,” Rolfes said. She thinks the book will take at least a year or two to write. To read a more complete version of this article, visit ursulinesmsj.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID OWENSBORO KY 42301 8001 Cummings Road Maple Mount, KY 42356-9999 270-229-4103 www.ursulinesmsj.org • info.msj@maplemount.org
PERMIT NO. 120
Please help us update our mailing list. If there are errors in your address, please inform us so that we may correct them. 270-229-2006 • alumnae.msj@maplemount.org
If you have a smartphone, this QR code will take you to our website!
New Quilt Club
Empowerment Academy, Inc.
tickets still available!
License No. 0290
Sister Catherine Kaufman
Now is the time to purchase your Ursuline Sisters’ Quilt Club membership for only $20. Sign up by Nov. 5 and get 11 chances to win a homemade quilt! 270-229-2009
Did you know that St. Angela Hall at Mount Saint Joseph is the future home of a new Empowerment Academy? The Empowerment Academy is a local effort to empower students to reach their potential by providing safe, long-term housing with a focus on life skills training for homeless or precariously housed teens living and going to school in Daviess County. To find out more, call 270-231-5583 or email vickiq@foundationfordcps.org. You can find the Empowerment Academy, Inc. on Facebook.
Mark your calendars! MSJ Alumnae Weekend
May 14-15, 2016
If your class ends in “6” or “1” – it’s your year to celebrate! The Alumnae Office will be glad to help. Contact us for class mailing lists. alumnae.msj@maplemount.org 270-229-2006
Five alumnae doing evening presentations Sister Vivian Bowles A57, Sister Ruth Gehres A51, Sister Rose Marita O’Bryan A60, Sister Amelia Stenger A67 and Sister Marietta Wethington A55, along with Sister Ann McGrew, Sister George Mary Hagan and Sister Mary Matthias Ward, are doing “Evening With An Ursuline” presentations on the first Tuesday of each month at Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center. The 5:00-6:30 p.m. dinner/presentation costs $20. RSVP by contacting Kathy McCarty at 270-229-0206. You can see a complete list of dates and topics on our website: ursulinesmsj. org. Coming Up: • • • •
Nov. 3, “Catholic Pioneers” Dec. 1, “The Art of Waiting” Jan. 5, “Change and Transition” Feb. 2, “Why Do I Feel Guilty When it’s Time to Relax?”