Elizabeth was born June 6, 1911, the eighth child of nine born to George and Mary Sutton Hutchins of New Haven, Ky. Elizabeth’s school days began in 1917 at St. Catherine School taught by the Sisters of Loretto. The Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, who took charge of the school in 1918, taught Elizabeth throughout elementary and high school.
As early as Elizabeth could remember she was inclined toward religious life. In her senior year of high school she definitely heard the call more clearly. She entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. On September 7, 1931, Elizabeth received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Reginald the following March.
Sister Mary Reginald prepared for the apostolate of teaching. She was assigned, in 1934, to the new St. Joseph School in Mayfield, Ky. Sister continued to teach the primary grades for 45 years in public and parochial schools. In Kentucky, she taught at Lebanon (St. Charles), Shively (St. Denis), Holy Cross, Flaherty, Sorgho, Fredericktown, Raywick (St. Francis), Loretto (St. Francis), and New Haven. Sister also taught in Glennonville, Mo. After retirement from teaching, she began a second career as part-time librarian at St. Catherine School in New Haven. During this time she also reached out in service to her brother and other elderly or homebound parishioners.
In 1983, Sister Mary Reginald left active ministry and came to Mount Saint Joseph where she lived in Lourdes Hall, the residence of the sick and elderly Sisters. She entertained the staff with jokes and funny stories and shared with them her deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Sister Mary Reginald died on January 5, 1993. Father Anthony Shonis, Mount Saint Joseph chaplain, celebrated the funeral Mass. Sister’s remains are buried in the community cemetery. Preceding her in death was her Ursuline sister, Sister Agnes Mary Hutchins.