Mary Collins was born Jan. 11, 1917, the third child of John and Elizabeth Beaven Spalding of Bardstown, Ky. She had six brothers and sisters. Her early education was in St. Thomas Grade School. She attended high school at Bethlehem Academy in Bardstown, graduating in June 1935. Throughout her high school years, Mary served as sacristan and organist at her parish church, Old St. Thomas in Nelson County, where her pastor was Father John Fitzgibbon. Mary was a student at Mount Saint Joseph Junior College during the academic year of 1935‑1936. She entered the novitiate in 1937. On August 14, 1938, following an 11‑month postulancy, she received the Ursuline habit. Mary was given the name Sister Marie.
Prepared for the teaching apostolate, Sister Marie’s first assignment was St. Joseph School in Owensboro, Ky., where she remained for the first semester only. She was transferred to St. Paul School in Louisville and taught there the next two years. Her health had been frail for several months but she was able to teach until the scholastic year closed in 1943.
On July 6, 1943, Sister Marie was admitted to St. Anthony Hospital in Louisville for special treatment and suffered a fatal heart attack a few hours later. Shortly before she died, Sister Marie made her final profession.
Sister’s remains were returned to Mount Saint Joseph. On July 8, Father Gilbert Henninger, chaplain, and four other priests celebrated the funeral Mass. Ten other priests were present including Bishop Francis Cotton and Father John Fitzgibbon, her former pastor. Sister Marie’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery. Among her survivors were her two sisters, Sister Jane Miriam, SCN, and Sister Frances Miriam, OSU.