Ann Elizabeth, the fourth child of seven, was born to Michael Lawrence and Catherine Clarke Busam in Greenwood, Mississippi on September 29, 1919. (Two babies died in infancy). Ann began her faith journey with baptism at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Greenwood, on October 19. In September of 1925, Ann entered Davis Elementary School where she completed eight grades. She came to Mount Saint Joseph Academy for high school.
Influenced by the exemplary lives of her cousin, Sister Callista Langan, and Sister Joseph Marie Williams, both Mount Saint Joseph Ursulines, Ann Elizabeth began to consider a religious vocation. On September 8, 1938, Ann entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. On August 14, 1939, she was invested in the Ursuline habit and received the name of Sister Ann Elizabeth.
In September 1941, shortly after pronouncing first vows, Sister was assigned as primary teacher to St. Paul School, Louisville. Other assignments in her forty-seven years of teaching were: Cloverport, Missouri (Affton), Sorgho, Louisville (St. Columba, Owensboro (Blessed Mother), New Haven, Missouri (Hillsboro and back to Affton), Fredericktown and Buechel. She retired from teaching in 1985 and for one year served as an assistant to the director of the museum. She spent the next year in Millington, Tennessee, helping her brother, Joe, take care of their two ill sisters, Mary Frances and Catherine. Frances died in 1988, Catherine in 1992 and Joe in 1995.
Shortly after celebrating her Golden Jubilee in 1989, Sister Ann Elizabeth was diagnosed with psychotic depression/Alzheimer in 1990. Sister died October 13, 2000, following complications from pneumonia. Her wake service was held October 18. Father Joseph Mills, chaplain, celebrated the funeral Mass on October 19, 2000. Sister’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.