Anna Riedel was born on a farm in Tipton, Kansas on Sept. 9, 1880. As a young girl she attended St. Joseph's Academy at Clyde. When in March, 1901, she decided to enter our convent her mother doubted her vocation as she was full of mischief and liked to play pranks. However, she persevered and though she retained this trait throughout her life, it was necessarily subdued as a religious. She was unvested on Jan. 23, 1902.

Anna was accustomed to hard manual labor, having come from a large family, so it was not surprising that her assignment of work was chiefly in that area -- helping with the building of the new convent and chapel by sifting sand, loading and unloading bricks, etc. She also did gardening, helped in the infirmary kitchen and did mending, and for some time served as sacristan. At her first profession of vows on April 21, 1903 she received the name of Sister M. Gerarda. Her final vows were taken on Jan. 8, 1913, and she was a member of the large group receiving Consecration of Virgins at Clyde in 1953. Her brother Frank became a priest, and later a Monsignor, and a sister joined the Franciscans in Nevada, Mo., receiving the name of Sister Ludovica. Sister M. Gerarda was especially devoted to her brother and sister; both preceded her in death.

Sister contracted tuberculosis when still quite young. Though careful nursing and therapy brought healing and kept the disease in check, she was never able to do hard physical labor after that. Her condition required her living in a somewhat isolated state in the infirmary, and though she always retained her love for community, it also deepened her prayer life. Regretting her inability to be with the community in chapel, her great love for the Divine Office found expression in her daily praying the entire Office privately, up until a few days before her death. She chose what she called the "long office" with Matins, sometimes having two or three nocturns, because it took longer to pray.

Sister loved the Sacred Heart and had great devotion to our Blessed Mother, but was particularly drawn to God the Father, whom she loved with a tender, childlike love. She would often say to Sisters who came to visit her, "I am never alone or lonely. God is always with me."

Though she declined physically as the years passed, she maintained her mental alertness - a gift she had asked of God. Especially after her 90th birthday she looked forward to death, and longed to be released and to be at Home with God. But still the years kept passing, and her turn seemed long in coming. She also retained her sense of humor, and in her high-pitched voice would say: "I’m old enough to give up the ghost."

 The first signs of the Bridegroom's coming were in the morning of Feb. 20, 1974 when she fell in her room in an effort to get out of bed. The next few days were days of suffering and rapid decline, with increased difficulty in breathing. Strengthened and comforted with the holy anointing and Viaticum, she died peacefully on Feb. 25, 1974, just as the noon Angelus bell was ringing. At the time of her death she was the oldest member of the Congregation, having lived ninety-three years and five months.

Sister M. Gerarda loved birds and had pictures of them in her room. As the procession wended its way to the cemetery for her burial, it was noticed that the meadow larks and cardinals were singing joyously, though it was only February. Her love of poverty was also very evident, as she never wanted to keep anything when receiving gifts for special occasions. She soon found someone who was happy to accept it. She left behind only a small box of trinkets and a few prayer books.