Sister Lea McGuire, 1911-1999
Born October 13, 1911, Covington, Kentucky
Entered St. Walburg Monastery, July 16, 1928
First Profession August 30, 1930
Died January 8, 1999
At the age of five, Sr. Lea and her only brother Joe were placed in St. Joseph Orphanage where they were raised by the Benedictine Sisters. The efforts of many people to learn something of their parents proved fruitless. In 1922 on her eleventh birthday, Sr. Lea received a card from her mother but the envelope contained no return address. Her brother received a similar card but his stated that the mother was recovering from injuries suffered in World War I where, according to Sr. Lea, she served as an army nurse. No other information was forthcoming, a great disappointment to Sr. Lea throughout her life.
On September 20, 1916 Sr. Lea was baptized at St. John’s Orphanage where she stayed until July 4, 1927. Before entering St. Walburg Monastery in 1928, she lived with the Humpert family.
During her fifty years in the classroom, Sr. Lea taught at many diocesan schools staffed by the Benedictine Sisters. In later years before her retirement in 1980, and while in retirement at the monastery, she spent weekends with the residents at Wendover, a group home for young adults with mental or physical handicaps. This allowed Sr. Wendeline to have some respite from her duties as housemother there.
Sr. Lea spent over ten years in the infirmary in varying stages of ill health. She had a peaceful death.