Mary Elsie, one of 11 children of Francis Palmer and Mary Daisy Head Blanford, was born March 30, 1912, in Holy Cross, Marion County, Ky. Her faith journey began with baptism at Holy Cross Church, April 8, 1912.
Elsie’s formal education began March 30, 1918, at Holy Cross School, staffed by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. She completed the eight grades and three years of high school there, but came to Mount Saint Joseph Academy for her senior year. In September 1931, she returned to Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for teacher training, and taught in the public schools of Marion County for one year. After becoming an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph, she pursued further education during summer school sessions, earning a BS from Nazareth College and a M.Ed. from Catherine Spalding College, Louisville.
On September 8, 1933, along with seven other young ladies, Mary Elsie entered the novitiate to begin preparation for the life of an Ursuline. On March 19, 1934, she was invested in the Ursuline habit and received the name Sister Marie Bernadette. During her novitiate, she was called upon quite often to be a substitute teacher, i.e. St. Martin, Rome; St. Joseph, Owensboro; Jeffersonville, Ind.; Mount Saint Joseph Grade School department and Peonia, Ky., (St. Teresa High School).
Shortly after professing temporary vows in 1936, Sister was assigned to St. Teresa School, Peonia, with her own classroom of grades five through eight. Other assignments during the 49 years that Sister taught were the Kentucky towns of Fredericktown, Raywick, Clementsville, St. Francis, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Flaherty, Lebanon (St. Charles), and Louisville (St. Denis); and Hillsboro, Mo. At times, Sister Marie Bernadette served as assistant principal and as school librarian.
In 1985, Sister retired from teaching to serve in outreach ministry in Lebanon, Ky., until 1989 when she retired to the Motherhouse. She was actively involved for four or five years in setting up the community museum and in the Motherhouse library.
Sister Marie Bernadette died in the Motherhouse infirmary on Friday morning, July 7, 2000. Father Joseph Mills celebrated the funeral Mass, Tuesday July 11, 2000. This was Father Mills’ first funeral liturgy as Mount Saint Joseph chaplain.
Sister Marie Bernadette’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.