Born on a farm near Dresden, Kansas September 18, 1911, Gertrude Mary Weis was the eldest of ten children of Michael and Theresa Weis. As such she was accustomed to assuming responsibility at an early age, and also to the labor that goes with life on the farm. Her education began in a convent school at some distance from her home, so during the week she stayed with her grandparents, and often felt the pangs of homesickness. Though she outgrew her natural shyness, she remained a quiet person, gentle in manner and speech, with a wry sense of humor and a cheerful, grateful disposition.

Early in life Gertrude felt called to the religious life, though not to any particular form. But on a visit to Clyde, when she saw the statue of the Sacred Heart, with outstretched arms, at the top of the steps leading to the entrance, she felt instinctively that this was the place God wanted her to be. On Sept. 7, 1934 she was received as a postulant, and the following May clothed with the Benedictine habit. Profession of first vows followed on Aug. 29, 1936, when her name was changed to Sister M. Vincentia. Final vows were offered to God on August 31, 1941.

To Sister's great joy, her two sisters were favored with a like vocation, and received the names Sisters M. Laurann and Bernardine. With a play on their family name (Weis), the trio were nicknamed by their companions the 'three wise women from Kansas.'

Sister felt quite at home when assigned to duty in the kitchen not long after her entrance - a service she rendered joyfully and generously for nine years. In 1934 the star of obedience called her to our Tucson convent, where for nearly twenty-four years she contributed to the apostolate of making altar breads, supplying the needs of many poor parishes in the Southwest. Here her life was further enriched by the Consecration of Virgins on the feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 1953. In 1954 she joined our community in Kansas City, and three years later was welcomed back to Clyde. The out-door work then assigned to her was reminiscent of her life on the farm. In 1976 she returned to Tucson, where she again took up the work she dearly loved in the altar bread department.

Though Sister had enjoyed good health most of her life, a medical examination in 1975 disclosed breast cancer. She made a good recovery, but later developed bone cancer. She accepted this cross with courage and resignation and for a time was able to continue her community duties, though on a gradually restricted plane. On March 18, 1980 an aneurysm ruptured and brought to a sudden close her life of quiet, prayerful, self-sacrificing service. 

Sister M. Vincentia always had a warm smile and a quiet, gracious concern for others and for our Congregation, which she dearly loved. Her fervor in prayer, especially the Divine Office and the nocturnal adoration, her spirit of sacrifice, humility and generosity, and especially her deep gratitude for everything will also live on in our memories and make us grateful to God for having given her to be a member of our Congregation

The Eucharist was celebrated for Sister in our Tucson chapel the morning of March 20th, after which her sister, Sr. Laurann, also stationed in Tucson, accompanied her body to Clyde. Sister M. Bernardine and their brothers and other relatives from Kansas kept a wake for her the evening of the 21st, and after the Mass of Christian Burial celebrated for her the next morning, accompanied her to her last resting place on Mt. Calvary cemetery.