Mary Wilbie, the only child of John and Nettie Medley Peake, was born July 22, 1915, at Holy Cross, Ky. Her faith journey began with baptism at Holy Cross Church on September 14. When she was only two months old, her father died, and she and her mother moved in with her mother’ parents. Seven years later, the mother married Thomas Blandford, who had three children by his first wife. One child was born to the Peake-Blandford union. Mary Wilbie began her formal education at a public school in Gandertown, Loretto, Ky. She also attended other small country schools: Gootie, Hagan and Loretto Schools.
On September 8, 1933, Mary Wilbie along with five other young ladies entered the MSJ novitiate to begin the three-year preparation for the life of an Ursuline educator. On March 18, 1934, she was invested in the Ursuline habit and received the name Sister Jean Madeline. During this time, she began her high school education at MSJ Academy.
Shortly after professing temporary vows in 1936, Sister substituted for a short time in Jeffersonville, Ind., and Affton, Mo. Other assignments during the 48 years Sister spent in the classroom were in Ursuline-staffed Kentucky schools located in Owensboro, Central City, Calvary, Wax, Harrodsburg, and Buechel, and in Affton, Mo. She was the principal and seventh grade teacher for 18 years at St. Bartholomew in Buechel.
In 1985 she retired from teaching to serve in Outreach Ministry — visiting the shut-ins, rest homes and hospitals in Leitchfield, Ky. In August 1996 she retired to the Motherhouse to serve in the craft room. Father Dave would say of Sister Jean Madeline’s time at Leitchfield, “(She) continued to spread God’s love with (her) infectious laughter and gentle kindness.”
In 1996, Sister Jean Madeline came home to the Motherhouse, where her quilts gained in fame as she coordinated all the work of the Craft Room and continued to sow the seeds of God’s love with her gentle kindness. By 2003, as her health declined a bit, Sister Jean Madeline retired from the Craft Room and accepted the ultimate ministry of the Powerhouse of Prayer. She died on October 23, 2014, and her funeral was celebrated on October 27 at the Mount Saint Joseph Chapel. Sister’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.