Nedolast Pifher were blessed with their third child, a beautiful blue-eyed blond-haired girl, Ruthie. That would be me! My older siblings, Mary and Carl, had to share the spotlight with me and eventually with Janice. From the get-go my life was an adventure. Since Mom was very sick, I was farmed out to be raised by a neighbor lady for a time. The rest of my early childhood was spent with family or my Aunt Helen (the cat lady) as often as possible.
I attended Mother of Sorrows School and parish in North Auburn, and loved all the nuns because they were friendly and generous and loving, much like my Mom. They sowed the seed of my vocation.
My high school years were spent at St. Francis Convent School and most of the following years I ministered in Tiffin. Having completed the novitiate, my classmates left me and went off to college (to get more mental knowledge), but I enjoyed life at the Motherhouse, learning from the senior Sisters and the hired help all I needed to be a great success! I could run the pasteurizer, bottle milk, make butter and cottage cheese. However I never did master the art of stink cheese. I also became the best (the only) step cleaner, and daily swept four flights of steps, front and back. Eventually I joined my classmates for profession and they went off to their new ministries. Again I only waved good-bye.
The next many years I spent in food service, cooking for the high school kids where we had lots of fun. Then I went to Paducah, but only stayed about six months and was called back to Tiffin to run St. Francis Home dietary department, then the main kitchen, and eventually the Sisters’ kitchen.
I was educated in the school of hard knocks and received several honorary degrees. I got my BA in baking and my MA in magnificent menus. Once I satisfied everyone’s appetites for many years, I washed the pots and pans, scrubbed the floor, and locked the kitchen, and handed in the keys…..and… I went off to acquire my PHD in cosmetology.
Once I was certified to have my own boutique in the convent, I washed, cut, tinted, permed, and styled more hair than I knew existed! We had the best looking nuns around – alive and dead! I enjoyed this work, especially with the senior Sisters, until my arthritic fingers refused to bend.
As I write this Vita I am retired (mostly just tired), and spend my final energy raising hollyhocks, tomatoes, and rhubarb, and occasionally baking cookies, breakfast rolls and snacks. Too bad once I had time to do what I wanted, I was often too tired to do it!
All that remains is to tell each of you that I love you and want to thank you for walking with me on the journey to heaven. See you all there!
… and our dear Sister Romana completed her journey on Wednesday, July 16th, 2025. We will miss her stopping by each morning and afternoon to say hi and collect trash. We will miss the aroma of her delicious sweet rolls baking in Holy Family kitchen, and we will miss her frank, but honest assessment of any given situation. But most of all we will miss her kindness, her humor, her practicality and her love. However, we will count on that love remaining with us and all with whom she shared life.