Cecilia Leonard was born in Imogene Iowa, to Alice Berrigan and Henry Leonard on April 18, 1904. She was one of six children. She attended St. Patrick's Academy under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy until she came to St. Joseph's Academy at Clyde, where she continued her education. It wasn't long before Cecilia was attracted to the Community and its dedication to Christ in the Eucharist. "This is the place for me," she said, "and I am going to stay right on after school days are over." At the age of seventeen she obtained permission from Mother M. Dolorosa to enter on August 1st, 1921. She was professed on February 10, 1923, receiving the name of Sr. M. Delphina, and made perpetual vows on March 16, 1929.

Sister will be remembered for her delightful sense of humor amid all the incongruities of life. She was one of those sisters the Superiors could count on to fill in for anyone at anytime. Her list of transfers and changes of job make her eligible to be patron of transfers. She was a pioneer member of our Tucson and Kansas City convents.

Sister spent years in kitchen in our different convents and also spent time in our Infirmary kitchen when we used to have those awful flu epidemics at Clyde. She had a hard time, she said, of pleasing everyone, yet several remarked during her funeral vigil service, that she was famous for her cookies and not only famous, but generous. Sister loved good food herself, and found the food in the infirmary not quite to her liking the past year or so, so with the help of a few friends, who would smuggle her some of her most favorite foods, it helped to revive her good humor.

Sr. Delphina had the heart of a child and enjoyed whatever came her way, from winning at Bingo to Liturgy preparations for Sunday. Her gratitude for anything given was one of the truest signs that she imbibed the meaning of "Eucharist", thoroughly.

Preferring nothing whatever to Christ, our dear Sr. M. Delphina died peacefully at 7:30 PM, Tuesday, June 14, 1988. Her sense of humor and her playful presence will be missed by all whose lives she touched.