The daughter of Wingate and Anna Hite Wathen, Anna Mary was born Dec. 2, 1887, not many miles from Uniontown, Ky. When Anna Mary was very young, her mother died. Her father remarried. She attended St. Vincent Academy in Uniontown and completed her high school education at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. As a postulant, she was assigned to the music department to study and assist with regular chores. On August 25, 1908, Anna Mary received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Francis Borgia. Two years later she made perpetual vows.
Sister Francis Borgia’s apostolate as a music teacher began at St. Romuald School in Hardinsburg, Ky. From there she went to other schools in Kentucky: Jeffersontown, Chicago (St. Francis), Flaherty, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Leitchfield (St. Paul), Paducah (St. Thomas More), and Owensboro (Blessed Mother). In Nebraska, she served at Nebraska City (St. Bernard Academy), Bow Valley and Paul. Her assignments in New Mexico included Waterflow and Farmington. In most of these schools, Sister Francis Borgia formed bands and choirs and presented operettas and elaborate student recitals. Many times she painted scenery for the stage drops for the operettas and musicals. She was an inspiring musician bringing out latent talent in students of all ages.
In 1953, Sister Francis Borgia underwent eye surgery but never quite regained her eyesight. On occasion, she accepted assignments to small parishes as organist. She was relieved of mission work in 1967 and retired to the Motherhouse. She continued organ practice and played the organ daily for the enjoyment of the Sisters. Sister Francis Borgia was confined to the infirmary some months prior to her death on March 10, 1969. (Sister Teresita Thompson had died the day before).
On March 12, Msgr. Albert Thompson, and Father Bernard Powers concelebrated the Mass at the double funeral service for Sister Francis Borgia and Sister Teresita Thompson. Sister Francis Borgia and Sister Teresita’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.