Clotilda Busby was born near Maryville, MO on Feb. 7, 1891. Her father, too, was born at Maryville; her mother, in Illinois. Clotilda entered at Clyde on Aug. 11, 1914, and was invested on Jan. 30, 1915. She made profession on Jan. 30, 1916 as Sister M. Rita, and made her perpetual vows on Feb. 4. 1922. She enjoyed the privilege of receiving the Consecration of Virgins with the large group at Clyde on November 16, 1952.

Sister M. Rita was a small, alert person, very congenial, always happy and ready to render a service. She came from a family of teachers and was herself a competent teacher - a graduate of Northwest College in Maryville. For a while she taught in the Clyde school, then at our Academy, and was Principal for several years until its closing in 1934. By virtue of her administrative knowledge, Sister was instrumental in procuring State recognition for the Academy, and had teachers from Maryville Teachers' College come to Clyde to instruct the Sisters.

Sister was a member of the first General Council from 1938 to 1944, when the Congregation was first established. Later on she performed various tasks and practically wore herself out packing things for the San Diego foundation.

Always rather delicate, Sister's health declined noticeably, due principally to premature hardening of the arteries. Her memory gradually failed. Nevertheless she still tried to make herself useful, particularly by straight sewing on a machine. Unable any longer to go to holy adoration or the divine office, which she dearly loved, she would often sit in the infirmary chapel and just gaze at the tabernacle. She was also seen regularly in the adoration chapel between 10 and 11 each morning, in a stall reserved for her.

After a rather brief final illness, and much suffering, Sister died on Nov. 23, 1960 at the age of seventy.