The funeral Mass for Sister Mary Sheila Higdon was celebrated Feb. 20 at Mount Saint Joseph in Maple Mount, Ky. Sister Mary Sheila died Feb. 17 in Owensboro, Ky. She was 88 and had been an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph for 70 years.

An Owensville, Mo., native, she began as an educator in 1950, and was a teacher at Seven Holy Founders School in Affton from 1959-70. From 1996-99, she was pastoral minister and director of religious education at Sacred Heart Parish in Dexter, Mo. From 1999-2011, she was the pastoral associate at St. George Parish in Van Buren, Mo., St. Catherine Siena Parish in Piedmont, Mo., and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Williamsville, Mo. She also taught in Kentucky and Nebraska.

She is survived by two brothers, Hugh and Eugene Higdon.