The daughter of Robert and Joanna Millay Payne, Mary Frances was born Dec. 2, 1897, in St. Lawrence, Ky. When Mary Frances was in her early teens, her mother died. She then became “mother” to her sisters and brothers. Mary Frances entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph in March 1897 and received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Irene in May. She was among the original group of Sisters to make vows at Mount Saint Joseph. Sister Mary Irene’s little sister, Louella, an orphan child, came to Mount Saint Joseph in 1903 to be with her “big Sister” and the other Ursulines. Louella died in July 1904, and was buried in the convent cemetery on the northwest campus. Her remains were transferred when the new cemetery on the southeast campus opened in 1910.
On July 5, 1897, Sister Mary Irene was appointed director of the laundry, a position she held for many years. In the laundry and elsewhere at Mount Saint Joseph, she spent long hours in hard work. She was young and “wanted to spend herself serving God by serving the community.”
Sister Mary Irene’s health rapidly declined for about two years. She was confined to her room in St. Angela Hall. Often she could be found at night checking the basement laundry room. She died suddenly on MaryApril 5, 1915. Sister Henrietta Burch, who was Sister’s nurse, left the room for a few minutes. When she returned, Sister Mary Irene had quietly entered eternal life. Sister Mary Irene’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.