Wilhelmina Maria, the youngest of five children, was born on June 1, 1908, at Mennwagen, Baden, Germany, to Aloysius and Sophia (Bohm) Dietrich. Her father died before her birth, in March of that same year, and judging from the beautiful and providential happenings in her life, he watched over and guided her along the right path for 94 years. She grew up in Windelbad and attended school in Killingen, Wurtemmberg, for seven years. During that time she worked at making ropes, turning the wheel.

The Dietrich family gave their three daughters to the religious life. The eldest became a Franciscan in Germany; Theresia later became our beloved Sister Mary Sophia in 1923. In due time, her two brothers, Alex and Joe, found their way to the United States through the instrumentality of Father Lukas Etlin, who needed talented and skilled workers to carry on the building operations at Clyde. The Relic Chapel was being built at that time, and the two brothers contributed to the bricklaying and placing of the marble, as well as in the blacksmith and carpenter shops.

When Sister Mary Bernard Willman went to Europe in the 1920's to recruit members for our Congregation, she visited the convent at Forensall. Sister Mary Meinrada had two aunts in that strictly cloistered community which had perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament without exposition. It was there that she found Sister Mary Sophia, who was working in an ammunition factory in the town. When their brothers received the call to come to America, Sister Mary Meinrada came with her mother and her sister, Sister Frontena, whose community allowed home visits every two or three years. Within six months or so, Wilhelmina made the request to enter at Clyde. Sister Mary Meinrada said, “I learned about Clyde through Sister Mary Sophia and I wanted to go where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed.” A dream helped Sister Mary Sophia decide her vocation, “Once I was in a dream a big church. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed and I was on a priedieu. That convinced me I should go there.” She entered at Clyde on May 1, 1928. She made her first profession on August 22, 1933 and her final profession on August 29, 1936.

Sister M. Meinrada worked in the printery at Clyde and then in the stitching room. For sixteen years she helped Sisters M. Justina and Georgia with painting. She also worked in the chicken house and orchard, as well as in maintenance, and the church work department.  In 1954, she was transferred to San Diego as a pioneer.

In 1969, when our General Chapter gave permission for our German sisters to have a home visit, Sisters M. Sophie, Meinrada, and Pudentiana made a visit to their home in Germany and to our founding house in Maria Rickenbach, Switzerland. This was a joy she was never to forget.

When our San Diego monastery was closed in 1992, Sister Mary Meinrada was transferred to our monastery in Tucson, until her age and infirmities caused her to move to St. Benedict Health Care Center in St. Louis. She was in the group of our senior sisters who moved to Our Lady of Rickenbach at Clyde in November, 2001

Sister Mary Meinrada was known for her special talent in fine sewing and embroidery work. Her skills included the gold- leafing of the cross and monstrance for our San Diego and Saint Louis monasteries. She enjoyed her hobbies of making latch hook rugs, flower cards, and rosaries. She was much loved for her beautiful simplicity, and self-giving, and for her many hidden acts of charity and thoughtfulness. Those of us who knew her will remember her for her mischievous and contagious smile.

Shortly after her move to Our Lady of Rickenbach, Sister Mary Meinrada became ill with pneumonia. She spent a few days in the hospital and was then brought home. During her last days she was surrounded by her sisters, novices, and postulant, and slipped away to God only two months after her return to Clyde on January 22, 2002. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in Our Lady of Rickenbach Chapel on January 24, with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.