Born April 25, 1887, in New Haven, Ky., Mary Rose was the daughter of James and Martha Redmond Smith. She entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph when she was nearly 21 years old. Following a five‑month postulancy, Mary Rose received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Rita on August 25, 1908.
Sister Rita’s first assignment was to the convent at St. Peter School in Waverly, Ky., where she served as housekeeper and organist. During the majority of her years as housekeeper, she served in the smaller towns in Kentucky, but did spend five years at Bow Valley, Neb., and three at Wilhelmina, Mo., caring for the needs of the teaching Sisters. She often served as organist, too. After 20 years of housekeeping service, Sister Rita became a primary grades teacher. Her first year was at St. Theresa School in Glennonville, Mo. She taught nine years at St. Lawrence School in Knottsville, Ky., six years at St. Anthony School in Axtel, Ky., and five years at St. Sebastian School in Calhoun, Ky.
After retiring in 1960, Sister Rita returned to Mount Saint Joseph where she spent her final years. She developed a heart problem and lived in the infirmary where she died quite unexpectedly on August 24, 1964. Two days later her Requiem Mass was celebrated by Msgr. Albert Thompson, MSJ chaplain. Sister Rita was buried in the convent cemetery. Preceding her in death was her Ursuline sister, Sister Mary Stephen, who died in 1932.