Two area natives, six others, celebrate anniversaries at Mount St. Joseph

Sister Diane Marie Payne and Sister Rebecca White, both natives of Glennonville, Mo. are among 19 Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, Maple Mount, Ky., celebrating jubilees this summer. Six other jubilarians ministered in Glennonville.

Sister Diane Marie, daughter of Anna Marie Payne of Glennonville and the late David Payne, is celebrating 40 years as an Ursuline sister. In her 34 years of ministry, she has served as a teacher and pastoral minister in Kentucky and Alabama. At Mount Saint Joseph, she served in personal and pastoral care and as sacristan and Guest House coordinator. Currently she is chaplain for the Hospice Association of Owensboro, Ky.

Sister Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin and Geneva Anna White of Glennonville, is celebrating her 25th jubilee in religious life. Sister Rebecca's ministry has been in both education and health care. A registered nurse, she served for nine years in the motherhouse infirmary. From 1995-2001, she was director of the Contemporary Woman Program at Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky. She has provided secretarial services at the motherhouse and was the congregational contact person for the effort to abolish the death penalty in the United States. She is currently living and ministering at Mount Saint Joseph.

Sister Mary Ethelreda Hayden

The following seven Ursuline sisters have ministered in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

Sister Elizabeth Ann Ray, who celebrates 75 years as an Ursuline Sister, taught at St. Teresa School, Glennonville, 1962-63. A native of Rhodelia, Ky., Sister Elizabeth Ann served as teacher and principal for 54 years in Kentucky, Missouri, and New Mexico. After leaving teaching in 1985, Sister Elizabeth Ann assisted in the Archives at Mount Saint Joseph until her retirement in 1997. She now participates in the ministry of prayer at Mount Saint Joseph.

Sister Mary Ethelreda Hayden, celebrating 70 years, taught at St. Teresa School, 1971-72, and at Sacred Heart School, Poplar Bluff, 1985-88. A native of Graves County, Ky., Sister Ethelreda ministered 52 years in Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, and New Mexico. She is now a resident of Saint Joseph Villa at Maple Mount and is dedicated to the ministry of prayer.

Sister Marie Montgomery

Sister Marie Montgomery, celebrating 60 years, taught at St. Teresa School, 1996-97. A native of St. Lawrence, Ky., Sister Marie has served 52 years as teacher, principal, and parish minister in Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona. Altogether, she has ministered in the Southwest for 37 years. Since 1998, she has been a teacher at St. Francis of Assisi School in Gallup, N.M.

Sister Mary Timothy Bland, a 40th-year jubilarian, taught at St. Teresa School, 1967-70. A native of Lebanon, Ky., Sister Mary Timothy has been an educator in Kentucky and Missouri for 37 years. Since 1988, she has been a second-grade teacher at St. Angela Merici School in Owensboro, Ky.

Sister Joan Mary Riedley, also celebrating 40 years as an Ursuline sister, taught at St. Teresa School, 1977-86. She has been a teacher and parish minister for 36 years in Kentucky, Missouri, and New Mexico. Since 1992, she has served as pastoral minister for St. Matthias Parish, Louisville, Ky.

Sister Diane Marie Payne

Sister Melissa Tipmore, a 40th-year jubilarian, taught at St. Teresa School in 1972. A native of Owensboro, Ky., Sister Melissa has ministered for 34 years in Kentucky and Missouri. Since 1998, she has been director of transportation at Mount Saint Joseph.

Founded at Maple Mount in Daviess County, Ky., in 1874, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph currently minister throughout Kentucky and in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, and Tennessee; and in Washington, D.C., and Chillán, Chile, South America.

Persons wishing to send congratulations to the jubilarians may address them to Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356-9999.

Sister Elizabeth Ann Ray