Inza Marie was the daughter of Joseph and Frances Porter of Owensboro, Ky. Her early education was in and around the Owensboro area, including Blessed Mother School, St. Peter in Stanley school and St. Frances Academy and eventually Catholic High in Owensboro. During the 1950s and early 1960s Inza attended Bresica College and Catherine Spalding College as a parttime student and earned her B.S. in history in 1966. Before entering religious life at age 27, Inza worked as a clerk at Macatee’s Department Store and then at Old National Bank in Owensboro. Inza entered the postulancy for the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in September 1961. At her entrance into the novitiate she took the name Sister Francis Joseph.
Sister Francis Joseph began in 1966 teaching middle and high school students in Kentucky at St. Denis, Louisville; Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Maple Mount; Flaherty High School; St. Margaret Mary, Louisville; St. Peter of Antioch, Waverly; St. Francis of Assisi, Loretto, and St. Mary of the Woods, Whitesville.
Beginning in 1980, Sister Francis Joseph would serve at the Motherhouse at Maple Mount. From 1980-1984 she served as the director of Food Services. In 1984 she became a postal clerk and in 1987 was made postmistress. In this office she served for the majority of the years until her death in 2013.
Sister Francis Joseph was very prayerful and loved the beauty of nature. She was up early watering her many flowers or feeding stray animals. Her love and care for flowers made Mount Saint Joseph a colorful campus to enjoy. Two stray dogs, Frosty and Baby Girl, were often found following Sister Francis Joseph around the property.
Sister Francis Joseph passed away on July 7, 2013, after a brief battle with cancer. She was laid to rest on July 10 and is buried at the Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery.