Mathilda Gruenes was born March 20, 1895 on a farm in Richmond, Minn. Her father (from Austria Hungary) and her mother (from Germany) were thrifty, hard-working people, who reared a large family in a deeply religious spirit. Sister entered at Clyde on Jan. 10,1917, was invested with the religious habit on Aug.24,1917, professed Aug.15, 1918 and made perpetual vows on Feb. 16, 1924. She was a member of the first group receiving consecration of virgins on Nov. 16, 1952.

Sister was a serious, sacrificial person, blest with good common sense and a dry humor. She was a good seamstress, but being inured to farm labor was given charge of the garden and later of the entire farm and dairy herd. She proved to be a kind, patient and efficient manager, considerate and very co-operative, even-tempered, and highly respected and loved by the workmen. Prayer was her first consideration, and even when farm work was pressing, she devoted the first hours of the day to prayer. Her prayerful spirit carried over into her work and it pained her to have to miss the Divine Office on weekdays. Like her patron, to whom she was greatly devoted, Sister had a firm trust in Divine Providence, and when any danger threatened the crops or the farm animals, she would say: "The Lord will take care of it."

Aside from the fact that two of her brothers were diocesan priests, Sister had a high regard for the priesthood and was helpful to the Conception seminarians who worked at the convent, helping on the farm and with chores at the barn.

Afflicted with a congenital heart condition (several members of her family, including the two priests, died suddenly of heart failure), Sister was aware of the danger of sudden death but this did not alarm her. "It's all right," she would say, "I'm ready any time." 

Though failing noticeably, she was able to remain on duty until the very last day. Having gone to the barnyard shortly after noon lunch to give directions to the work men, as was her custom, she had just turned away from them when she collapsed. They hastened to her aid and phoned the convent immediately, but Sister had passed away before any of the Sisters arrived. The workmen considered it a great privilege to have her die in their midst. The day was June 10, 1959, and Sister was sixty-four years old.