Mary Loehle was born in Baden, Germany on Aug. 4, 1859. She entered at Clyde on Feb. 17, 1884, was invested on June 21 of the same year, and made profession as Sister M. Nicola on Sept. 26, 1885. Her perpetual vows were made on June 13, 1891.

Sister was a small person, very agile and industrious, happy as a child in the service of God. She worked in the packing room at Clyde for many years, deeming it a great privilege to share in the apostolate of spreading religious literature, and nothing was ever too much for her.

Sister was afflicted with asthma, and the Academy girls marveled at her fidelity, as often she would be actually panting for breath in praying the Divine Office.

When our Tucson foundation was opened in 1935, Sister volunteered as a pioneer, though then in her 76th year and not too strong. She contracted pneumonia within a few months and became critically ill. Oxygen was administered, but to no avail. When, during the night of her death, it became evident that the end was very near, the Sisters wondered how they might call the chaplain who lived across the street but had no phone. Providentially they were able to convey the message to him through two young people who happened to be passing by at that unusual hour - 2:00 a.m. In a few minutes Father was at Sister's bedside, gave her the last absolution and was saying the prayers as she took her last breath on April 15, 1936. The Sisters felt this was an answer to their prayers to the holy angels not to let anyone of them die without having a priest at her bedside. Sister was buried in Holy Cross cemetery in Tucson, but her remains were transferred to Clyde some years later.