Born in West Louisville, Ky., on March 7, 1895, Leona was the fifth of eight children of Clement and Eva Hayden Cecil. Her father died when she was 7 years of age. Leona began her elementary education at St. Alphonsus School in St. Joseph and completed high school at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. When she was 17, she entered the novitiate. On November 21, 1912, Leona received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Alicia.
In 1914, Sister Alicia began her apostolate of teaching music. She taught only music until 1945 at various schools in Kentucky, Indiana and Nebraska. She taught in Kentucky at Fairfield, St. Charles, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Louisville (St. Columba and St. Paul), and Buechel. She was missioned to Wynot, Neb., and Jeffersonville, Ind., as music teacher and parish organist. In 1945, Sister Alicia began classroom teaching in Kentucky grade schools at Leitchfield (St. Paul), Louisville (St. Columba), Owensboro (Blessed Mother), Howardstown, Mayfield, St. Francis, Buechel, Rome and St. Alphonsus. She resigned from teaching in grade school and returned to Mount Saint Joseph Academy in 1971 to tutor the foreign students in English as a second language.
In 1973, Sister Alicia retired from full-time duty, enjoying the companionship of the Sisters residing at the Motherhouse and showing a keen interest in the work of all the Sisters on the missions. She maintained close contact with her family and former students. She found hope for the Ursulines of Mount Saint Joseph in the community’s faithful response to the changes resulting from the Second Vatican Council. Death came to Sister Alicia on June 26, 1983. Fourteen priests were present for the celebration of her funeral Mass on June 28, among them her great-nephew, Father Henry Cecil. Sister Alicia’s remains were laid to rest in the convent cemetery. Her two Ursuline sisters, Sister Clement and Sister Celestine, preceded her in death.