Mary Florence was born on Oct. 11, 1881, in St. Lawrence, Kentucky, to William and Laura Higdon Montgomery. She entered the novitiate at Mount Saint. Joseph when she was 19 years old. On October 24, 1901, following a ten‑month postulancy, Mary Florence received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Bernard.
Sister Bernard’s life was spent in domestic service which began at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She was among the first Sisters who were missioned to St. James School in Louisville in 1906. She remaind two years and returned to the Motherhouse. Sister Bernard worked in the kitchen, dairy, bake room, and chicken yard during her years at Mount Saint Joseph. Novices were often assigned to help Sister Bernard with these duties and found her a very exacting overseer.
In 1963, Sister Bernard was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Owensboro for treatment of diabetes. Sister died suddenly of a stroke on June 24, 1963. Following the funeral Mass, Sister Bernard’s remains were laid to rest in the convent cemetery. Among her survivors was her Ursuline sister, Sister Columba.