Mary Peak was born July 3, 1865, Clear Creek, Missouri to Peter Peak and Catherine Keck. The latter was a native of Germany. It seems Mary entered early in 1886, as she was invested with the religious habit on August 24 of that year. She was professed as Sister M. Maura on October 17, 1887, and made perpetual vows on November 21, 1893.

Sister was a stately person, erect and dignified in her bearing. She was humble and gentle, and had a brilliant well-trained mind. A teacher by profession, she taught at the nearby "Wild Cat" public school  for twenty-eight years and really left her stamp on her pupils, who loved and revered her. They considered her an authority on any subject and valued her advice. They would speak in praise of her for years after leaving school, and even in the 1960’s older people around Conception recalled her with affection and admiration.

Because of deep snowdrifts and bad weather, Sister and a companion stayed with the Wiederholt family for two weeks, as they lived near the school. Benny, who was to be a day laborer at Clyde for many years, was then a few weeks old. 

Sister taught school until a week before her death. She contracted pneumonia, and died on November 13, 1923, at the age of fifty-eight years, deeply mourned by her pupils, both past and present, as well as by our community.