Sr. Edna Ann entered the Dominican Sisters of Houston in 1952. She earned a B.A. in Education and English at Dominican College, Houston; an M.T.S. in Spirituality at Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, TX; and an A.M.I. Montessori International Degree at Washington Montessori Institute, Washington, D.C. She continued her studies in the Montessori Approach to Religion at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN; The Church Year and Young Children at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN; and the Catechesis of The Good Shepherd at the U.S. Association of the Catechesis of The Good Shepherd, Scottsdale, AZ. She was Certified in Healing Touch ministry from the American Holistic Nurses Association, Topeka KS; and in Reiki from the Reiki Association, Houston.
Sr. Edna Ann served in education ministry at Sacred Heart School, Houston; Holy Rosary School, Rosenberg, TX; and St. Mary Cathedral School, Galveston, TX. In 1965 she became Director of the newly-formed Head Start Program for schools in the Houston-Galveston Diocese. She worked in some of the poorest communities to ensure educational readiness and developmental support.
Sr. Edna Ann co-founded Dominican Montessori School, Houston, which later became St. Catherine's Montessori. She brought the Montessori curriculum to St. Mary School, Port Arthur, TX, and St. Mary of the Purification School, Houston. She worked at Little School House Montessori, Houston, and she served as a Consultant for Montessori Pre-School at Sacred Heart School, Austin, TX.
A leading expert in Montessori education, Sr. Edna Ann often gave workshops and in-services for individualizing classrooms. She developed MII Kits for Language Arts Activities, a reading program used by educational institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
Sr. Edna Ann held many positions on the Board of Directors at St. Catherine's Montessori, and she taught in its primary program, designed for students ages three to six. She often exclaimed, "I love teaching children when they first start to read." In 1999 she established an independent community outreach Reading Center, helping children from areas throughout Houston to read at minimal or no cost to families. After spending forty-seven years at St. Catherine's Montessori, she received Emeritus status upon her retirement in 2011.
Sr. Edna Ann had an engaging personality, a ready laugh and boundless energy. She radiated joy. A talented musician, she captivated children with rousing songs on her guitar. Her passion for teaching the Montessori Philosophy was the defining characteristic of her life. Her legacy as an educator will be remembered through the lives of those she touched.
The Houston Dominicans would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the CCVI community and St. Placidus Convent and staff for their loving care and support of Sr. Edna Ann during her final years.