Ruth Elizabeth, eldest of two daughters of William Joseph and Margaret Shanks Conners, was born September 19, 1911, in Louisville, Ky. Her journey of faith began with baptism at St. Paul Church a few days later. Her non-Catholic mother had little patience with the Catholic Church beliefs and practices, so it fell to the father, a policeman and devout Catholic, to see that his little girls lived their faith. On Sundays, he would come “off the beat,” get the two girls ready and take them to early Mass before getting any rest himself.
In September 1917, Ruth began her education at St. Paul School where she had Sister Imelda Lyvers for first grade. Ruth’s mother died at age 28 and the father had to find a home for the two girls, ages 8 and 6. He placed them at Cedar Grove Academy, a boarding school, staffed by the Sisters of Loretto. When Cedar Grove became Loretto Academy, a day school, Ruth inquired of Sister Imelda about another boarding school to attend. Sister Imelda gave her a Mount Saint Joseph Academy bulletin. Ruth was accepted as a freshman. Her sister remained in Louisville, boarding with friends. Her father lived in a boarding house.
In September 1931, Ruth, along with seven other young women, entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. She received the habit and the name Sister Ruth Agnes on March 19, 1932. After professing First Vows on March 20, 1934, Sister began her apostolate of teaching at Knottsville, Ky., in grades 6-8. She taught primary grades at Waverly and Raywick, Ky., but most of her 33 years of teaching were in the Kentucky high schools at Holy Cross, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Waverly, Flaherty, St. Charles, New Haven, and Whitesville, along with Waterflow, N.M. Beginning in 1967, Sister changed from classroom teaching to parish ministry. She served as coordinator of CCD at Ordway, Colo., San Fidel (Acoma Indian Reservation) and Bloomfield, N.M.
In 1983, Sister Ruth Agnes retired to the Motherhouse. She was appointed sponsor of Mount Saint Joseph Academy Alumnae Association and assisted the director of the archives. Her life was one of service to others. Advocacy for the poor and neglected was an important part of her daily prayer. She remained young at heart, delighting in music and dancing, and reading the classics.
Sister Ruth Agnes died suddenly during the night of June 17, 1999. Her death was announced during morning Mass on the 18th. Father Anthony Shonis, chaplain, celebrated the funeral Mass on Monday morning, June 20, 1999. Sister’s remains are buried in the convent cemetery.