The daughter of John and Harriett N. Evans O’Brien, Harriett (Hattie) was born June 6, 1894, in Henderson, Ky. After her mother’s death, Hattie was enrolled at Mount Saint Joseph Academy while still in grade school and continued there through high school. Hattie had a beautiful singing voice and received many honors for vocal performances. Because of persistent lesions on her leg, Hattie’s request to enter the novitiate was initially denied. She prayed fervently to the Infant Jesus of Prague and was miraculously cured. She then entered the novitiate in June, 1915, at the age of 21. Hattie received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Hilary on August 10, 1915.
Sister Hilary’s apostolate was that of domestic service and her first mission was at Browns Valley, Ky., where she remained two years. An assignment to Livermore, Ky., followed and then she was missioned to Waterflow, N.M. In 1923, Sister was missioned to St. Angela Home in Louisville to care for the Sisters and visitors. In 1939, she returned to Mount Saint Joseph and spent 24 years as manager of the community store and performed many acts of service to the Motherhouse community. Her passionate devotion to the Infant of Prague grew stronger as she grew older. As a visible sign of her gratitude for her miraculous cure, she kept a statue of the Infant dressed in fine silks and jewels on a pedestal in the chapel.
On November 8, 1963, Sister Hilary received the news that her sister had died of a heart attack the previous day. Sister decided that she was physically unable to make the trip to be with the family. She went to the community store to complete a small task. An hour later, one of the Sisters found her lying lifeless on floor.
Msgr. Albert Thompson, chaplain, celebrated the funeral Mass on November 11, 1963. Her remains are buried in the convent cemetery. Among her survivors was her sister-in-law, Sister Robert Irene O’Brien.