A private burial was held for Sister Mary, with a celebration of life to be held later in July.

The daughter of Vilray Francis Lapping and Roberta Iona Hamilton, she was born Aug. 20, 1942, in St. Louis. She grew up in Kirkwood and was educated by the Ursulines at St. Peter School and Ursuline Academy. She entered the Ursuline community on July 19, 1961, and professed vows on Jan. 20, 1964. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Webster University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University in New Orleans. She also completed advanced studies in liturgy and in environmental studies.

Sister Mary’s first ministry was in her home parish of St. Peter, where she taught in the elementary school from 1966-76. She then moved on to teach in other area elementary schools, including Corpus Christi in Jennings from 1976-78 and Immaculate Conception in Arnold from 1979-82.

In 1983, she moved to southern Missouri to begin 15 years of parish ministry, serving in Verona, Shell Knob, Ozark, Webb City, Joplin and Springfield, and then served in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

In the mid-1990s, Sister Mary began to sense a push to something called “Earth Ministry.” Although she didn’t know exactly what it was or how to do it, she pursued the idea as a dream. She educated herself in several Earth systems such as organic gardening and forest ecosystem maintenance. Her path led her from hands-on work at the Ursulines’ 144-acre property in Crystal City to an Earth spirituality office for the community, to an enduring and deepening love of Earth and care for “our common home.”

Sister Mary also was a volunteer English teacher for the Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Project, and served 10 years as prioress of the Ursuline community in Missouri.