Sarah Frances Russell, the tenth child of 11, was born May 29, 1916, to Frank William and Mary Josephine Blanford Russell of Louisville. She began her formal education at St. Brigid Elementary School staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. She continued there until she completed grade eight. She then attended Our Lady of Mercy High School for three years and came to the Mount Saint Joseph Academy for her senior year. After graduation, she enrolled at Bryant Stratton Business College in Louisville. She found employment as a secretary but felt an emptiness and lack of purpose in her life.
On September 7, 1936, Sarah entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph to begin a three-year preparation for life as an Ursuline. On August 14, 1937, she received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Henry.
In September 1939, following profession of temporary vows, Sister was missioned to St. Columba School, Louisville. to teach grade seven. She remained in this position for three years. In the following 54 years, Sister served in Ursuline-staffed Kentucky schools in Shively, Flaherty, Wax, Vine Grove, and Peonia. Sister also taught in Nebraska City, Neb., and in Grants, Waterflow, San Fidel and Santa Fe, N.M. From 1992-2002, Sister Mary Henry tutored elementary students at Christ the King School in Madisonville, Ky., and ministered to the sick and home bound in the parish.
In the summer of 2002, Sister Mary Henry retired to Mount Saint Joseph, along with her sister, Sister Joseph Adrian Russell, and Sister Margaret Joseph Aull, with whom she had ministered in Madisonville. Sister Mary Henry served as receptionist and operated the Motherhouse switchboard a few hours daily. Her quick smile and humor brightened the lives of visitors, Sisters and employees alike.
On January 2, 2003, Sister Mary Henry was admitted to Owensboro Mercy Health Hospital and underwent surgery for a femoral hernia. She died the following day.
The evening of January 5, the wake service was held in the Motherhouse chapel. Monday morning, January 6, Father Joseph Mills, chaplain, Msgr. Bernard Powers, Father Jerry Calhoun, Father Frank Roof, pastor of Christ the King, and Father Greg Trawick concelebrated the funeral Mass followed by the burial service in the convent cemetery. Among her many survivors were her Ursuline sister, Sister Joseph Adrian.