Gertrude was born Oct. 12, 1876, the daughter of Richard and Alice Blincoe Rodman of St. Joseph, Ky. She was raised within sight of St. Alphonsus Church and within hearing of the convent bells of Mount Saint Joseph. When she was almost 3 years of age, Gertrude and her mother were present for the funeral of Sister Rosina Sedelmeier toward the end of September in 1879. This was the first death at Mount Saint Joseph. Gertrude served as assistant sacristan to her mother at St. Alphonsus during her earlier years and when she was 21, she entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. On May 13, 1897, Gertrude received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Margaret Mary.
Having a great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, Sister Margaret Mary was looked upon as a child of special grace. With eight companions she pronounced her vows on December 18, 1899, among the first to make vows at Mount Saint Joseph.
Twenty‑two years after the first death at Mount Saint Joseph, Sister Margaret Mary breathed her last on August 9, 1901. Following her Requiem Mass she was buried in St. Alphonsus Cemetery. In 1902 her remains were moved to the new cemetery at Mount Saint Joseph located on the north campus and then, in 1910, they were moved again to the convent cemetery dubbed “God’s Acre.” Sister Margaret Mary and Sister Rosina are buried side by side.