Jacob P. Zent was born in Spier Russia, February 16, 1887. His wife, Rose Kupper, was born in Sultz, Russia, September 13, 1889. They migrated to Mandan, N.D., where their first child, Emily was born July 26, 1911. The family increased to eight by the birth of two more girls, Isabel and Tillie and five boys, Joseph Raphael, Edward, Leo (died at birth) and Leo.
Emily entered the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Calvary in Kenmare, N.D., in 1929. On June 4, 1930, Emily received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Augustine. Following the Vatican II revision of Canon Law regarding the life of women religious, Sister returned to her baptismal name and became known as Sister Emily.
Sister Emily began her teaching career in North Dakota at Sts. Peter and Paul School, Strasburg, and St. Anthony School, St. Anthony. Beginning in 1948, after the Ursulines moved their Motherhouse to Belleville, Ill., Sister Emily began teaching in Illinois at Holy Rosary School, Fairmont City and St, Regis School, East St. Louis. Sister studied (May through August 1949) at Le Clerc College, Saint Louis. She returned to the classroom at Saint Raphael School, Mounds City 1949-1952. She spent the next year studying at Minot State Teachers College in Minot, N.D. From 1953 through 1962 she taught in the following schools: St. Regis, East St. Louis; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Belleville; Holy Rosary, Fairmont; St. Regis, East St. Louis; and Our Lady Queen of Peace, Belleville. She spent 1962-1964 as a full time student at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Ky. She returned to Illinois and taught from 1964-1976 at St. James, Millstadt; Holy Childhood of Jesus, Mascoutah; and Our Lady Queen of Peace, Belleville.
Sister Emily retired to the Motherhouse in Belleville in 1976. Following the merger of the Ursulines of Belleville with the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 2005, she became a patient in Saint Joseph Villa, the Mount Saint Joseph Health Care facility.
At age 97, Sister Emily died at Mount Saint Joseph in her 79th year as an Ursuline. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in the Motherhouse chapel December 30, 2008, with Father Dave Glockner officiating. Sister Emily’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery at Mount Saint Joseph.