Sister Marie Bosco Wathen was born in 1924, just 50 years after the Ursuline Sisters arrived at Maple Mount. On July 24, 2024, she celebrated her 100^th birthday with the Sisters who have meant so much to her.

An ovation greeted her as she walked into the Rainbow Room of Saint Joseph Villa. She took her seat up front and listened to Sisters and her half-brother George share stories about what she has meant to them. A rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday” was followed by birthday cake for everyone.

“When I think of Sister Marie Bosco, I think of laughter, fidelity and wisdom,” said Sister Sharon Sullivan, congregational leader. Sister Marie Bosco was a professor in the education department at Brescia College from 1974-97, and Sister Sharon recalled that when she was a new professor at Brescia, there was never a week that went by when one of Sister Marie Bosco’s classes failed to erupt in laughter.

“Bosco made them all feel so welcome,” Sister Sharon said. “We would often hear, ‘She had me in the first grade and now she’s going to train me to become a teacher.’”

Sister Marie Bosco was an elementary school teacher from 1945-73, plus another year as a principal. Sister Vivian Bowles said, “I replaced her at Immaculate School (in Owensboro), then I replaced her at Brescia. Maybe this means I’ll live to be 100.”

Sister Suzanne Sims recalled the help Sister Marie Bosco gave her when she was a new elementary education professor at Brescia in 1976.

“When I went to Brescia, I was very green,” Sister Suzanne said. “I had Bosco on my left and (Sister Clarita Browning) on my right. Bosco’s honesty and help were always appreciated.”

Several of the Sisters commented on how Sister Marie Bosco modeled friendship with Sister Marita Greenwell, including being her personal aide in the last years of Sister Marita’s life.

“The two of them loved everybody,” Sister Suzanne said.

Sister Marie Bosco’s half-brother, George Wathen, came from LaGrange, Ky., with his wife Jeani for the party. Sister Marie Bosco’s mother died when she was 6, and her father later remarried George Wathen’s mother and had nine more children.

“I’ve been her brother for 80 years,” George Wathen said. “I’ve had a wonderful life because of her. We love her.”

This is the second year in a row the Mount has celebrated a Sister’s 100^th birthday. Sister Marie Montgomery turned 100 in March 2023. She died five months later. Sister Grace Swift is the second oldest Sister in the community now, she turns 97 in August.

Sister Mary McDermott wrote Sister Marie Bosco a poem titled “A Tear in Her Eye,” which she read aloud:

A tear in her eye.
Yet she does not cry.
Instead, she remembers years gone by.
Happy memories of childhood games.
Growing up with friends and family all around.
She ponders the difficult years and ways she coped.
A tear in her eye.
Does not fall.
She treasures her life, long and full.
Her birthday we celebrate.
One hundred years old.
A tear in our eyes does not fall.
With admiration and love, we honor her call.

Here are pictures from the party.