Effie Jean was born to Ignatius and Louisa Alvey Cooper, in Curdsville, Ky. The family later lived in the surrounding areas of Beech Grove, and Congleton. Effie received her early schooling in the public schools of Daviess and McLean counties. She enrolled at Mount Saint Joseph Academy in 1899. She advanced rapidly in her studies and received the gold medal for diligence. She was active in the Children of Mary Sodality and the Literary Society. In August 1902, Effie Jean entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. Two months later she received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Jerome.
Sister Jerome pronounced final vows in 1905 and received the black veil. As the delegate of the bishop, Father E. S. Fitzgerald officiated at the ceremony and delivered the homily. Sister Jerome’s first mission was St. James School at Louisville, Ky., where she spent much time making vestments for the bishop, doing sacristy work and sewing for the parish. She taught at St. Edward School in Jeffersontown, and St. Columba School in Louisville, making these daily trips by streetcar from St. James. In 1918, when the Spanish flu epidemic was at its peak, and nurses were not available, she, Sister Antoinette Krampe, and Sister Agatha Beavin volunteered to nurse the soldiers at Camp Taylor. During the years 1919 to 1953, she taught in numerous Kentucky schools, including Fairfield, Earlington, Cloverport, St. Lawrence, Shively, Howardstown and Sorgho. Sister’s only out-of-state assignment was to Snyder, Neb., in 1933 for four months.
In 1955, Sister was off duty for two years. In 1957, she served a brief time as receptionist at Brescia College in Owensboro, Ky., and a few weeks as substitute teacher at Princeton, Ky. Sister Jerome retired to Mount Saint Joseph in 1959. She resumed her fancy sewing and other hobbies. Sister Jerome died on January 18, 1970. Father Bernard Powers, chaplain, celebrated the funeral Mass, followed by the burial service in the convent cemetery.