Born on March 18, 1877, at Morganfield, Ky., Alberta was the daughter of Albert and Mary Ann Russell Robinson. She entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph when she was 37 years old. Following a six-month postulancy, Alberta received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Edna on August 15, 1915.
Sister Mary Edna’s first assignment was St. William School at Knottsville, Ky., where she taught for five years. Other assignments in Kentucky took her to St. Joseph School at Raywick, St. Charles School in Lebanon, where she taught for five years and four years respectively, and St. Peter School in Stanley. Sister Mary Edna then taught social science at St. Bernard Academy in Nebraska City, Neb., and English at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. In 1933, she returned to Marion County (St. Charles) for four years. She was then missioned to Fredericktown, Ky., and Owensboro (St. Joseph), her final mission assignment.
Sister Mary Edna wrote numerous poems through her years and toward the end of her life, she wrote The Way of the Cross with Mary, Our Mother which gave expression to her deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1944, Sister Mary Edna retired from teaching and spent her final years at Mount Saint Joseph. She died on October 11, 1947, two days before her patronal feast. The funeral Mass was offered on October 14 by Msgr. Gilbert Henninger, chaplain. Four other priests were in the sanctuary. Sister Mary Edna’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.