The first of the nine children of William and Helen Flaherty, Emma Mae was born May 28, 1913, in Concordia, Ky. Her schooling began at Fairview School in Andyville, and continued at St. Theresa School in Rhodelia and St. Martin School in Louisville. For high school Emma Mae went to Mount Saint Joseph Academy. Following her graduation, she attended Mount Saint Joseph Junior College. Emma Mae entered the novitiate and on August 14, 1937, after an 11‑month postulancy she received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Ruth Helen.
Sister Ruth Helen’s first assignment was teaching at St. Alphonsus School across the road from Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She began her high school teaching at Sacred Heart Academy in Waterflow, N.M., where she remained nine years teaching English, Latin, typing, drama, and physical education. Also while missioned in Waterflow, she made her final profession at Sacred Heart Church on August 15, 1942. Returning to Kentucky, Sister Ruth Helen continued teaching the same five subjects in the parochial and public high schools within the state, including 19 years at Mount Saint Joseph Academy.
After 42 years of teaching, Sister Ruth Helen returned to Mount Saint Joseph for her final years. She spent some years working at the Motherhouse telephone switchboard and keeping a daily log on community activities for the archives. She breathed her last on August 14, 1989, the 52nd anniversary of her reception of the Ursuline habit. Two days later Father Anthony Shonis, MSJ chaplain, celebrated her funeral Mass and gave the homily. Sister Ruth Helen was buried in the convent cemetery.