Sister Mary Loise

Sister Mary Loise                        ND 4400            PDF Download

Etheldreda Antoinette Lay

Immaculate Heart of Mary Province, Covington, Kentucky, USA

Date and Place of Birth                      June 18, 1922            Cincinnati, OH
Date and Place of Profession            August 10, 1950        Covington, KY
Date and Place of Death                    June 5, 2018              Covington, KY
Date and Place of Burial                   June 8, 2018              Covington, KY

Sister Mary Loise (Etheldreda Antoinette) Lay was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 18, 1922, to Louis and Ida Lay. She and her younger sister enjoyed a happy childhood with loving and devoted parents.

She attended St. Martin Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame. She then went to Seton High School and graduated in 1940. Sister worked for several years in the business office for Kroger in Cincinnati, Ohio. After much reflection she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1947 and professed her vows on August 10, 1950.

Sister began her religious life as an elementary teacher while she continued her education at Villa Madonna College. Soon she received her degree in medical technology. Following this, Sister Mary Loise spent over twenty years as medical technologist and laboratory supervisor at Notre Dame Hospital, Lynch, Kentucky, and St. Claire Medical Center, Morehead, Kentucky.

In 1983 Sister Mary Loise commenced her community service to the Sisters of Notre Dame as provincial secretary and later as secretary to the Superior General in Rome, Italy. Following her return from Rome in 1999, she served as the provincial archivist.

In 2014, after many years of active service, Sister retired to Lourdes Hall Care Center where she participated in the apostolate of prayer for the provincial administration and for the sisters and the world.

Her union with God was so evident that, just moments before she passed away, she said, “Okay, I’ll go,” and then very peacefully stopped breathing.

Sister Mary Loise had a special Bible verse from Micah:6-8 that she liked to meditate on: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow before God most high? …You have been told, O man what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

“Yes, Sister Mary Loise, you have done right, you have loved goodness and you have walked humbly with your God. May you rejoice with our loving God forever.