Mary Oda was born May 14, 1909, the seventh of 11 children born to James and Virginia Hamilton Mudd of Loretto, Ky. Her formal education began at a one-room school at Frogtown, near St. Mary. Later Mary Oda attended St. Charles School at Lebanon where she was taught by the Ursuline Sisters. Having entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph when she was 18, Mary Oda received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Oda on March 19, 1928.
Sister Mary Oda was sent to St. Martin School, Rome, Kentucky, for two months in 1930, to complete the school year for a teacher. Sister spent one to two years in each of the following Kentucky schools teaching primary grades: Calvary, Raywick, St. Francis, Fancy Farm, New Haven, Waverly and St. Raphael. In 1938, she was missioned to Plattsmouth, Neb., for five years, then Fredericktown, Ky., for three years. From 1946 to 1957, she taught first grade at Flaherty, Ky., followed by eight years at St. Margaret Mary, Lyndon, Ky., before returning to Flaherty for another eight years. She was off duty at Peonia, Ky., for the academic year, 1973-74, then taught at Mother of Good Counsel (Louisville) until 1977. She spent the following year off duty at St. Charles (Lebanon), then spent 1978 to 1980 teaching at St. Augustine in Lebanon.
In 1980, Sister retired from teaching, and returned to Mount Saint Joseph. Following 12 years of diminishing health, death came to her on September 4, 1992. Many parishioners from St. Martin of Tours Parish in Flaherty attended Sister’s funeral Mass. The First Communion class of 1946 sent a floral design. Following the funeral services, Sister Mary Oda’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery. Among her survivors was her Ursuline sister, Sister Eudocia.
Sister Mary Oda’s funeral was the first held in the newly renovated and refurbished chapel. It was discovered at this time that the new elevator wasn’t large enough to accommodate funeral caskets.