Mildred, born July 4, 1921, was the daughter of William Garret and Ruth Cecilia Payne Ban — who cared for their 15 children (eight boys and seven girls) with loving care and guidance in a faith-filled Catholic home in Livermore, Ky. Mildred lived with her grandparents at Browns Valley to enter the first grade at St. Anthony Catholic School. In a few months, she returned home after surgery for appendicitis and completed all of her grammar school years in Livermore Public School. During those years, Mildred learned writing, painting, drawing, quilting, and embroidery from her mother, the beginnings of developing her talent as an artist. She came to Mount Saint Joseph Academy for high school and graduated in 1939.
Mildred entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph in September 1939. She received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Aloysius Marie on August 14, 1940. When women religious were permitted to return to their baptismal name during the renewal following Vatican II Council, Sister Aloysius Marie chose to do so. After making first profession of vows August 15, 1942, she was missioned to St. Columba in Louisville, Ky., to teach grade two. Sister taught in elementary schools, mostly in grades 5 through 8, for the next 31 years. Besides teaching all the regular subjects. Sister Aloysius Marie skillfully led her students to a deep appreciation of their own personality and awareness of the beauty of the world around them through weekly classes in art. She taught in the following elementary schools: In Kentucky at St. Raphael, Sts. Joseph and Paul (Owensboro), Blessed Mother (Owensboro), Curdsville, St. Denis (Shively), and St. Brigid (Vine Grove). She also taught in Blanco, N.M., and Nebraska City, Neb. Beginning in 1973, Sister taught art at Mount Saint Joseph Academy until 1980. She then taught private art lessons at Seven Holy Founders, Affton, Mo., for a year, then returned to Kentucky to teach art at Cathedral School in Owensboro. She returned to Affton and opened an art studio in the convent. In 1987, she came to Mount Saint Joseph as assistant to Sister Fran Wilhelm in the prayer house for two years. She then became director of the Gift Shop for a year. In 1990, she served as director of the Museum for a year, taught art at the Mount for one more year and retired in 1992.
Though confined to a wheelchair since 1994, Sister Mildred worked tirelessly at developing the genealogy of her own family and many other Kentucky families, compiling volumes of valuable research preserved in the community archives. She continued to paint in oils and watercolor, leaving a colorful legacy for the Sisters — her paintings are found in many Ursuline houses and schools. Sister Mildred was a voracious reader and dabbled in writing poetry. She loved parties, and during her retired years at the Mount, her family frequently came to visit her bringing food and gifts to frolic with her. On many of those occasions, especially her birthday July 4, she would wear a favorite red dress and her signature string of white pearls.
Sister Mildred died December 12, 2006, of long-standing complicated illnesses. Father Dave Glockner, GHMS, and Father Tom Kirkendoll, GHMS, celebrated the funeral Mass, December 14, 2006. Sister’s brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews participated in the funeral ceremonies as pallbearers and lectors. Her nephew, Jim Barr, sang the General Intercessions at the funeral Mass. Sister Rosalia Knott, OSU, a great-aunt, preceded her in death. Among her survivors were two cousins, Sister Mary Louise Knott and Sister Theresa Margaret Hite. Sister’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.