Sister Mary Agnes Grenough, M.M. died on January 30th, 2021 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was born on July 2nd, 1933 in Louisville, KY to Bernadine (Dudine) Grenough and E.R. Grenough. She had three brothers and three sisters: John, Vincent, Richard, Mildred, Rose and Jean. Her brother John has pre-deceased her.
In 1951, Mary graduated from Loretto High School, Louisville, KY. She enrolled in a nurse training program at St. Anthony Hospital, Louisville, KY and received her R.N. in 1954. Mary then attended Nazareth College, Louisville, KY where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Education in 1956. Shen then continued her education and received a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education at St. Louis University, MO in 1960.
On December 30th, 1956 Mary entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation in Valley Park, MO (from Christ the King Parish-Louisville, KY). Her First Profession of Vows were on August 22nd, 1959 in Valley Park, MO and her Final Profession of Vows were also on August 22nd, 1965 on the Philippine Islands.
In 1963, Sister Mary received her first overseas mission assignment to the Philippine Islands, there she served as a Nursing Supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital in Manapla until 1969. From 1969-1972, she founded and directed the Diocesan Family Life Center; was Secretary of the Diocesan Social Action Committee in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, and also conducted seminars, lectures and consultation services.
She then relocated to Quezon City to serve as a member of a health team doing paramedic training for adults in rural areas from 1973-1982. Shen then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY for Congregational Service working in the Office of Social Concerns until 1985.
Once again, Sister Mary returned to Quezon City to serve as a member of the health team, providing service in many different areas: member of the rural missionaries of the Philippines, paramedic training and health education, member of the Nationwide Council for Health Development (an NGO and inter-religious network of community based health programs), and committee member for political detainees until 2001. In 1994 Sister Mary received an award given by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippine Islands for her service to those in need.
Sister Mary then relocated to Myanmar, Cambodia to teach English, provide health education about HIV/AIDS and helped to develop the Myanmar Catholic HIV/AIDS Network until 2015.
She returned to the U.S. to retire, first residing at the Maryknoll Sisters semi-retirement community in Monrovia, CA and then later returning to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
Funeral Services: Sister Mary generously donated her body to science. Due to the pandemic, a Memorial Service was privately livestreamed on February 5th, 2021 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. Interment of ashes will be at a future date.