Martha V. Pethe was born in Carey, Ohio, December 24, 1911, the sixth of nine children of
Joseph A. and Alice Mary (Kirian) Pethe. When she was just a few months old, her father sold
their farm in Wyandot County and bought one in Seneca County near Frenchtown. It was here
that she attended St. Nicholas School for eight years and became impressed with the friendliness
and cheerfulness of the Tiffin Franciscans who taught there. She was in fifth grade and had Sr.
Liguori for a teacher when she thought of becoming a Sister.
Her pastor, Father Joseph Williams, a promoter of religious vocations, encouraged her to enter
St. Francis Convent on October 3, 1926. When her mother objected because of her youth (she
was about 15 years old), Father reminded her that the Little Flower enterer Carmel at that tender
age. Her mother retorted, “But my Martha is no saint!” Her mother finally relented, however,
and now her Martha is a saint!
She and her classmates received their high school education together with their formation as
religious and on June 28, 1927, she received the habit and veil and the name by which she has
been known for over 80 years–Sister Mary Alice. She made her first vows in 1929.
Sister Alice had a very interesting and varied life as a Tiffin Franciscan. She graduated from
DeSales College in Toledo and later went on to the University of Notre Dame where she
received her M.A.
She taught in elementary schools at Ft. Jennings, Carey, and Millersville. She taught high
school at St. Francis Convent and at Central Catholic in Toledo. For nine years she was Director
of Novices for the Congregation. From 1967 to 1970 she served as a team member of the Better
World Movement. Following this assignment she was elected for a four-year term on the
General Council of the Congregation and also served as Vicar. From 1975 to 1983 she was
Director of Religious Education at Defiance, OH. She served as associate pastor at St. Helen’s
Church in Vero Beach, FL, and as pastoral associate at St. Michael’s Ridge, Defiance. From
1990 to 1994 she worked as a volunteer at the Pilgrim House in Carey where she also gave Bible
workshops and taught CCD.
Sr. Alice’s work with the Better World teams took her to the Virgin Islands, Canada, South
America, Rome, and many of the states here in the United States.
Sister Alice always had a keen interest in Sacred Scriptures and a highlight of her life was the ten
weeks she spent in Israel studying “Biblical Lands and Civilization.” Twice she studied
Scripture under Dr. Eugene Trester who was brought to the diocese from Canada. The four
weeks of classes were intense and began at 8 o’clock in the morning and ended at 10 o’clock at
night.
Sister Alice was known for her love for Scripture and was asked to teach some classes at
Defiance College and again at Findlay College. She gave many workshops on Sacred Scripture
including one in Arizona to a group of Baptists.
Because of illness, she finally retired to the Motherhouse in 1995 but even then continued to
teach Scripture when there was a request. At one time Sister Alice said, “My special gift...has
been teaching adults the Bible and leading people to love God’s Written Word.”
Besides the Bible, for many years she had other hobbies including candle-making, knitting and
crocheting. When she could no longer do these, she found life and companionship in playing
cards after the evening meal.
Sister Alice died peacefully at the age of 97 on July 10, 2009, at St. Francis Home where she had
been a resident for a very short time.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Raymond, Cletus, Linus, Herman,
and Vincent and by sisters, Christine Jacobs, Esther Parker, and Catherine Slater. Surviving are
a number of nieces and nephews of whom she was very fond.
We will remember Sister Alice for many things, but especially for her love of Sacred Scripture
and for being an avid Notre Dame fan.
