Alumnae follow the Yellow Brick Road back to Maple Mount

More than 100 alumnae of Mount Saint Joseph Academy returned to Maple Mount on Aug. 27, 2023, for Alumnae Weekend, honoring two new Maple Leaf Award winners.

In one of the widest disparities of classes gathered, two members of the 1983 class – the final one at the Academy – were present along with a member of the 1941 class. (See article here.) The theme this year was “The Wizard of Oz,” which began the evening before during a welcome back dinner.

Two alums who graduated three years apart were the latest winners of the Maple Leaf Award – bestowed on someone who personifies the values of their Mount Saint Joseph education in contributions to their local faith communities, civic communities, and/or Mount Saint Joseph. Sister Pam Mueller A’68, and Sheila Ward A’71, received the honor this year.

Sister Pam completed six years serving on the Ursuline Leadership Council in 2022, and continues to serve as director of Campus Ministry at Brescia University, where she began in 2005. She has also served as a teacher, speech pathologist for the Diocese of Owensboro, professor of speech language pathology at Brescia, director of the Speech and Hearing Center at St. Louis University, and director of Vocations for the Ursuline Sisters.

Her classmate and nominator, Carole Caummisar Sanders, said Sister Pam’s energy, passion, and selfless service cannot be surpassed.

“Through all the years I have known Sister Pam she has demonstrated kindness, cheerfulness, and honesty,” Sanders said. “Her considerate nature is a quality that makes her a natural leader.  After graduating from Mount Saint Joseph, she dedicated her life to God.” 

Rebecca Collins Morris nominated her classmate, Sheila Ward, with a long list of accomplishments. Ward earned her nursing degree and then a degree as a nurse midwife. She and her husband Phil Adkins moved to Mississippi, where she worked in a hospital serving indigent people. Ward returned to Kentucky and opened a birthing service in Monticello, and later moved to Louisville, where she provided lectures to medical students, traveled statewide offering training to health department nurses, and other services, all the while still delivering babies on the weekends.

When she realized there was a need for prenatal screening for depression, she completed a master’s degree as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She opened an office in Louisville seeing patients with a range of diagnoses, with special interest in postpartum depression. Ward was named Nurse of the Year in 2008 for the Kentucky chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Between 2006-2019, Ward visited Kenya four times to provide support and education for orphans and vulnerable children. Her next effort is in September 2023, when she will travel to Ecuador to help the Cofan indigenous people protect their ancestral land.

During the business meeting to begin the day, Mary Danhauer – secretary for the Alumnae Association – reported that since 2010, the Alumnae Association and alumnae have contributed more than $30,000 in donations to charitable causes.

Sister Ruth Gehres talked about the work of Casa Ursulina, and the two young people in Chile who are benefitting from the scholarships funded by alumnae donations. The alumnae approved that the Alumnae Association donate $1,000 each to Casa Ursulina, Water With Blessings – which is led by Ursuline Sister Larraine Lauter A’77 – and Catholic Relief Services. With additional donations from alumnae, treasurer Paula Chandler Gray reported that the total donations are:

  • $1,865 to Casa Ursulina
  • $1,790 to Waters With Blessings
  • $1,615 to Catholic Relief Services

Beyond the official business, the alums had a wonderful time visiting with each other. Here are photos from the weekend.

The Alumnae Association officers greet guests at the welcome back supper on Aug. 26, 2023, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall. From left are Mary Danhauer A'71 (Cowardly Lion), Stephanie Warren A'73 (Tin Man), Paula Chandler Gray A'73 (Wicked Witch) and Jennifer Speaks McGee A'70 (Dorothy).
Paula Chandler Gray is a dead ringer for Margaret Hamilton's witch.
The Lollipop Guild was represented by Loretta White Hamby A'70, her daughter Carrie Hamby, center, and Sister Rebecca White.
Marian McCarty Winstead A’73, Vickie Bickett Groce A’74, and Rhonda Warren Mischel A’73, gather on Sunday, Aug. 27, before the business meeting began.
Olivia Ann Riney Roby, left, and Joyce Bell Schulte, both of the class of 1958, visit before the business meeting began.
WaNell Stallings Lanham left, Charlotte Thomas Powers, center, and Rebecca Collins Morris, 1971 graduates of the Academy, share a few smiles as the day began.
These cards were available to all the participants. On the flip side was a picture of the original Academy building
Sister Ruth Gehres A’51, talks during the business meeting about the work of Casa Ursulina, and that two young people are benefitting from the scholarships funded by alumnae donations.
Sister Cheryl Clemons A’69, plays the keyboard as cantors Pat Schwartz Cook A’72, left, and Jennifer Speaks McGee A’70 lead the opening hymn “Saints and Beloved of God.”
For the first time, Mass was held in Maple Hall so that the entire group of alumnae could stay in one location for the day. Here they stand to sing the opening hymn.
Pat Wedding Stelmach A’68, reads from the book of Isaiah as the first lector.
Judy Drury Johnson A’73, reads Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.
Father Ed Bradley presided at Mass for the alumnae.
Sister Cecelia Joseph Olinger A’58, reads the intercessions, as Father Ed Bradley and the musicians look on.
Stephanie Warren A’73, right, Alumnae Association president, and Paula Chandler Gray, A ’73, treasurer, read the names of the alumnae whose deaths have been reported in the past year.
Sister Sharon Sullivan, congregational leader for the Ursuline Sisters, welcomes the alumnae back to Maple Mount.
: Sister Pam Mueller A’68, center, accepts her Maple Leaf Award from Stephanie Warren, left, Alumnae Association president, and Carole Caummisar Sanders, her classmate and nominator.
Sheila Ward A’71, center, accepts her Maple Leaf Award from her nominator, Rebecca Collins Morris A’71, left, and Stephanie Warren, Alumnae Association president.
Mary Lou Byrne Payne A’66, left, holds the quilt she won that was made by Karen Calhoun McCarty A’74, right.
Class of 1941, Delores “Winnie” Parker Lewis.
Class of 1949, Sister Elaine Burke.
Class of 1951, Sister Ruth Gehres.
Class of 1957, Sister Vivian Bowles, left, and Sister Ann Patrice Cecil.
Class of 1958, seated, from left, Olivia Ann Riney Roby, Nadine Wathen Edrington, Sister Cecelia Joseph Olinger and Mary Louise Fogle Payne; standing, from left, Brenda Coomes Burlingame, Bernardine Dockemeyer Edwards, Joyce Bell Schulte, Bertha Alvey Shelton, Sue Thomas, Helen Payne Higdon, Therese Fraize and Betty Moorman.
Class of 1962, Sister Mary Celine Weidenbenner.
Class of 1963, Sister Karla Kaelin, left, Sister Melissa Tipmore, center, and Phyllis Thomas Troutman.
Class of 1965, from left, Mary Costello, Carolyn Hancock Marren, Judith Kranz-Donley and Sue Timbrook O’Bryan.
Class of 1966, first row from left, Sister Suzanne Sims, Mary Rose Murphy Riney, Mary Margaret Drury, and Elaine McCarty Glenn; second row from left, Mary Lou Byrne Payne, Phyllis Costello Bresnik, Cecilia Robinette McEldowney, Susan Thomas Allgeier and Dolores Biddle Lundy.
Class of 1967, Sister Amelia Stenger.
Class of 1968, from left, Sara Olges Holden, Deborah Lord Campisano, Patricia Wedding Stelmach, Shirley McIntyre Story, Carole Caummisar Sanders, Brenda Greenwell Wallace, and Judy Deweese King.
Class of 1969, Sister Cheryl Clemons, left, and Betty Drury Byrne.
Class of 1970, from left, Loretta White Hamby, Jennifer Speaks McGee, Kathy Ford Young, Beth Calhoun Henderson and Rebecca Henderson McCarty.
Class of 1971, from left, Rebecca Collins Morris, Sheila Ward, Barbara Drury Hutchins, WaNell Stallings Lanham, Mary Carol Riney, Charlotte Thomas Powers, Mary Danhauer and Carolyn Drury McCarty.
Class of 1972, from left, Sister Jacinta Powers, Mary Shewmaker Willett, Patricia Schwartz Cook, Rita Thomas Tanner and Dorothy Ford Riggs.
Class of 1973, from left, Paula Chandler Gray, Marian Lanham, Rhonda Warren Mischel, Brenda Dant McIntire, Judy Drury Johnson, Marian McCarty Winstead and Stephanie Warren.
Class of 1974, from left, Tina Weber Smith, Vickie Bickett Groce, Tamara Warren, Karen Calhoun McCarty and Laquita McIntyre McCarty.
Class of 1975, Kay Drury Clark, Marva Abram-Crutcher, Mary-Anne Cossey Powers, Lisa Calhoun Mulligan and Marie Collins.
Class of 1982, Alicia Cecil Harrington, left, and Brenda Basham Lee.
Class of 1983, Marie Hayden Caraway, left, and Cindy Kaelin Light.
The four Murphy sisters, from left, Sister Nancy Murphy A’59, Sally Buford A’64, Mary Rose Riney A’66, and Peggy McCarthy A’56.

Comments

  5. Martha Elaine McCarty Glenn ‘66

    I’ve never missed a year at alumnae in 57 years. Every year has more & more memories to cherish as a MSJ graduate! Thanks to all who keep this together!

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