Maple Mount — Sister Mary Eileen Howard, 87, an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph, died March 8, 2015, in Owensboro, in her 67^th year of religious life. She was a native of Whitesville, Ky.

Sister Mary Eileen had a musical soul, and loved to help others enjoy music as a teacher or liturgist. She once said a lack of music “would be like taking all the birds out of the world.”

She was a teacher in Kentucky at St. Romuald School, Hardinsburg (1950-51), St. Thomas More School, Paducah (1951-54, 1963-67), Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Maple Mount (1954-56, 1967-69), St. James School, Louisville (1956-58), St. Denis School, Louisville (1958-60), St. Joseph School, Leitchfield (1960-63), St. Catherine School, New Haven (1969-71), St. Margaret Mary School, Louisville (1971-73) and Brescia College Music Center, Owensboro (1985-96). She also taught at St. Teresa School, Glennonville, Mo. (1973-74). Sister Mary Eileen was a music minister at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish, Owensboro (1984-85), and was liturgist at Mount Saint Joseph (1976-84, 1996-2013).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Arnold Ignatius and Ethel Howard; and siblings Charles Howard, Michael Howard, Mary Jo Shory and Mildred “Genny” Howard.

Survivors include one sister, Ita Belle Howard of Whitesville; four brothers, James Howard of Louisville, Robert Howard of Whitesville, Daniel Howard of Philpot and Brice Howard of Owensboro; nieces and nephews and the members of her religious community.

The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, at Mount Saint Joseph, where visitation will begin Wednesday at 4 p.m., with a wake service following at 6:30 p.m.

Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Owensboro, is in charge of arrangements.

Gifts in memory of Sister Mary Eileen may take the form of donations to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356.