Cora Teresa, the oldest daughter of John Young and Viola Osborne Brown, was born June 30, 1914, on a farm in Hardin County just over the county line from Flaherty, Ky. She began her faith journey with baptism on August 1, 1914, at St. Martin of Tours Church. As a child, Cora Teresa loved the freedom of the wide-open spaces, and most often could be found outdoors. The Browns loved the Ursuline Sisters and always shared fruit, vegetables, meat and flowers in season. When the Sisters returned to Flaherty each August, Mr. Brown would meet them at the Ekron Railroad Station and bring them to the convent. Mrs. Brown and her daughters prepared for their arrival — made the beds, cleaned the house, prepared a meal and stayed to welcome them.
Teresa began her formal education in October 1920 at St. Martin of Tours School, where she completed grade eleven. For her senior year, Teresa came to the Mount Saint Joseph Academy. On September 7, 1931, she entered the Mount Saint Joseph novitiate. On March 19, 1932, she was invested in the Ursuline habit and received the name Sister Mary Denise. Most of her working hours during the novitiate were spent in the dairy or the bake room.
In September 1934, shortly after temporary profession, Sister was assigned to Cloverport, Ky., for two years teaching grades five through eight. Other assignments during her 45 years of teaching upper grades or high school math were in Kentucky at St. Alphonsus, Boone’s Mill, Peonia, St. Francis, New Haven, Lebanon (St. Charles High School and Marion County High School), as well as in Nebraska City, Neb. In 1977, she was appointed local community treasurer, director of maintenance and assistant director of retirement at the Motherhouse. In 1979, she was assigned to the Business Office as assistant treasurer in charge of medical insurance. In 1995, she retired from active duty because of ill health.
The morning of December 22, 2000, Sister Mary Denise was admitted to the hospital in Owensboro and died there before noon the next day.
The wake service was held on December 26. Father Joseph Mills, chaplain, and sister’s cousin, Father Robert Osborn of the Archdiocese of Louisville, celebrated the funeral Mass on December 27, 2000. Sister’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.