Born in Knottsville, Ky., on Sept. 23, 1899, Susan was the daughter of John Henry and Anna Aull Mattingly. Father Louis Hilary Spalding, pastor at St. William Church, baptized her. She attended the public school until the Ursuline Sisters opened St. William School in 1912. Gifted with a beautiful voice, Susan was a good student and took the lead in the choir and in school musicals. She became active in church work, particularly the Sodality of Our Lady. Susan entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. On August 5, 1919, she received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Louis Hilary.
Following her novitiate, Sister Louis Hilary began her apostolic service as a teacher at St. Catherine School in New Haven, Ky. She taught later in Kentucky at Stanley, Curdsville, Cloverport, and Shively, and in Affton, Mo.
Because of health problems, she resided at Mount Saint Joseph from 1930 to 1952. Sister returned to teaching at St. Lawrence. She retired to Mount Saint Joseph in 1957, suffering from more frequent attacks of epilepsy. Sister Louis Hilary suffered patiently but performed many useful works at the Motherhouse between episodes of her sickness. She was a prayerful woman of deep faith. Her generosity and amiability endeared her to the community.
She spent several years in the infirmary prior to her death on Holy Saturday, April 1, 1972. Father Bernard Barnes, OSM, Msgr. Edward Russell and Father Joseph Rhodes concelebrated the funeral Mass on Easter Monday. Sister Louis Hilary’s remains were laid to rest in the convent cemetery.