Sister Mary Leah Baehl of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 11:40 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at Scenic Hills in Ferdinand.
Sister Mary Leah was born Ruth Ann Baehl on July 27, 1931 in Evansville, IN, the oldest of nine children of Leroy G. Baehl and Cecilia C. (Schaefer) Baehl. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1948 from St. Bernard Parish and made her monastic vows in 1950.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Sister Mary (Anisia) Baehl; her sister Norma Lee (Baehl) Goedde and brother-in-law Melvin Goedde; her brother Vincent A. Baehl and sister-in-law Shirley (Ice) Baehl; her brother Daniel A. Baehl; her brother Stephen Killian Baehl; and her brother-in-law William Tuley. She is survived by her brother Robert James Baehl and sister-in-law Martha A. (Wannemuehler) Baehl; her brother Clemens A. Baehl and sister-in-law Mary Beth (Wannemuller) Baehl; her sister Diane V. (Baehl) Tuley; her sister-in-law Deborah (DeTalente) Baehl; her sister-in-law Lynn (Sheridan) Baumgart; her nieces and nephews and her religious family.
Sister Mary Leah earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from St. Benedict College and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in Reading, from Indiana State University. She taught elementary students at St. Joseph School, St. Theresa School and Christ the King School in Evansville, IN; Assumption School in Indianapolis, IN; St. Mary School in Huntingburg, IN; Schnellville Elementary School in Schnellville, IN; Mariah Hill Elementary School in Mariah Hill, IN; and Ireland Elementary School in Ireland, IN. She taught for over a decade at St. Rita School in Morropón, Peru, and served in missions work at Monasterio Paz de la Cruz and La Parroquia de San Isidro, also in Peru. At Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, IN, Sister Mary Leah served as an Infirmary Aide, helped distribute altar breads, and most recently served in prayer ministry.
Public visitation will be held in Marian Parlor at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, on Friday, June 20 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. EDT, and on Saturday, June 21 from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. EDT in the monastery church. A Vigil Service will be held in the monastery church on Friday, June 20 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 21 at 11:00 a.m. EDT with a lunch following in the dining room. The public may view the Vigil Service and Funeral Mass at funeral.thedome.org. Rainey Funeral Home in Dale is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.
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