On July 11th, 1916 Laura Mary Ann Weis was born to Michael and Theresa Weis in Dresden, Kansas. She was the fourth of ten children, three of whom entered the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Laura Mary Ann lived on the farm and loved it. “I also went to a Catholic school where the Sisters of St. Joseph taught - except for two years when I went to a country school two miles away from home. When we went to the Catholic school we boarded at my Grandparents’ home and we were so homesick on Mondays. When Friday came we were so glad to go home.”

Laura Mary Ann and her sister, Clara Elizabeth (our Sr. Mary Bernardine), worked together side by side milking cows, cooking, and cleaning the house. They divided up the chores and alternated cooking/cleaning day by day. Sister Bernardine recalls, “Since she was older, she taught me how to cook, and Mom left it up to us to prepare meals. I used to help Mary peel potatoes and cook them, then I’d go out to play with the boys, never finishing up a meal. One day when she got kind of tired of this, she went to Mom, and said, ‘Mom, I don’t know what’s going to become of that child’.”

In her school days, Mary thought about her future. Being so familiar with farm and family life, she wanted to get married; yet at the same time, was attracted to religious life. After she finished school, she stayed home and helped with the work on the farm.

In August 1940 she, her parents, and Clara Elizabeth came to Clyde to visit Sr. Vincentia, the first of the daughters to enter the convent. “On the way I mentioned to my mother that if I liked it, I might stay. I did like it and I stayed. When my parents returned home, the boys came in from the field and said, 'Where’s Mary? Is she sick? ’ They were shocked to find out that I stayed. ”

Mary had a reverential respect for the responsibility of religious vows, the adoration of Christ, and the Divine Office. Prior to making first vows, Novice Mary asked if she could become an Oblate Sister for one year instead of making vows so she could grow in confidence. Permission was granted and she received the habit as an Oblate Sister, Sr. Joachim. After one year her Oblate Mistress convinced her to ask about making profession, which she did; then after another year of Novitiate she made First Profession. In 1968 she changed her name to Sr. Laurann.

Sr. Laurann’s farming background made her a valuable asset on the ‘Clyde Hill Farms’ as it was called in the early days. She worked in the chicken yard, milked cows (even with her sister, Sr. Bernardine, for a while); churned butter; and shocked grain in the fields. A co-worker, Sr. Blanche, remembered the barley harvest as being especially hard because of how scratched Sr. Laurann’s arms were due to the work.

She also worked in the Altar Bread departments in Clyde, Kansas City, and Tucson; helped in the sewing room, and assisted in the kitchen. While in Tucson, Sr. Laurann helped our Sr. Estell+ (‘The Egg Lady’), serving egg sandwiches to the poor.

Sr. Laurann was transferred to our health care center in St. Louis in 1993, then to Our Lady of Rickenbach in Clyde in 2000. 

As the patron saint of manual labor, St. Joseph was a favorite saint of hers. Extremely devoted to him, Laurann used to carry a small statue of St. Joseph in her habit pocket and would proudly share her love of him. It is no wonder that St. Joseph was given the honor of coming to take Laurann home on his feast day, March 19.

Sr. Laurann will be missed for her humble service, warm smile, dedication to community and family, sense of humor, simple and practical nature, and love of the Lord Jesus Christ.