Jubilarian - 2022 Sister Laura Ann Grady

Sister Laura Ann Grady was born on March 19, 1933, in Savannah Georgia, to parents Hugh Hartridge and Laura Elizabeth (Duggan) Grady. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 15, 1951, was received in 1952 as Sister Mary Monica, and made her final profession on August 15, 1959.

Sister Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Fontbonne College in 1964, a master’s degree in English literature from Loyola University in Chicago in 1970 and a doctorate in school administration from Indiana University, Bloomington in 1979.

Sister Laura Ann served in education for the first 33 years of service. In 1954 she taught at Mt. St. Joseph in Augusta, Georgia. Moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1956, she taught at St. Anthony before moving on to Sacred Heart in 1958. From 1961 to 1963 Sister Laura Ann taught at St. Joseph Male Orphanage in Washington, Georgia.

The following year, Sister Laura Ann taught at St. Roch Grade School in St. Louis, Missouri. From 1964 to 1966 she taught St. Viator Grade School in Chicago, Illinois. The following two years she taught English at Valle High School in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, and then taught English from 1968 to 1971 at Little Flower High School in Chicago, Illinois.

Returning to Augusta in 1971, Sister Laura Ann taught the next five years at High School at Aquinas High School. Upon completing her doctorate in 1979 in school administration from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, Sister Laura Ann, returned to Aquinas High School in Augusta and served as an assistant principal, academic principal, and then principal/CEO until 1988. She served the next 12 years in education at Paine College in Augusta as an assistant English professor.

In 2001, Sister Laura transitioned to parish work. She served as a pastoral associate at St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Grovetown, Georgia, from 2001 to 2009. The following four years she served as the RCIA director and children’s catechist at St. Mary’s on the Hill Parish in Augusta.

Sister Laura retired in 2013 in Augusta. Since 2014, she has been living at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis carrying out her ministry of prayer and presence.

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