Sr. Martin "Marty" McEntee, CSJ

Ruth Ann McEntee was born March 22, 1935, in Atlanta, Indiana, to Martha (Buscher) and Charles McEntee. She and her three sisters grew up in Kokomo, Indiana, where their parents ensured their three daughters were part of the fabric of community and church.

Following graduation from St. Patrick’s elementary and Kokomo High School, she worked at the First National Bank in Kokomo. In 1954, feeling called to religious life, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tipton, Indiana. She received the religious habit in 1955 and pronounced her final vows on August 15, 1961. Her education included a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati and a master’s degree from St. Louis University with a focus on Business and Hospital Administration. In 1998, Sister Marty was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the President of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Following nearly a decade of teaching junior high students in Tipton and Marian, Indiana, Sister Marty began a long tenure as a dynamic leader in health care. While her primary role was President/CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo, Indiana for twenty-eight years, her ministry called her far beyond local parameters. She served on multiple boards, serving as Chair of several, including the Indiana Hospital Association, the Catholic Hospital Association of the United States, and the Kokomo Area Chamber of Commerce. She also served in leadership roles within her Congregation, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tipton, and her beloved community of Kokomo, Indiana. No task was too small or too great when asked for support. She carried all out with joyful generosity and humor. She was a consummate volunteer, going beyond the immediate needs to find long-term solutions.

Among her greatest joys was the collaborative design of the Congregation of St. Joseph. With her beloved Sisters of St. Joseph of Tipton, Indiana, she was instrumental in opening the dialogue with other Sisters of St. Joseph communities to consider how they might together live the mission to be one in service of the dear neighbor. In 2007, the Congregation of St. Joseph was founded from seven autonomous St. Joseph communities. This new entity is changing lives through vibrant ministries in partnership with others and meeting the hungers of the world.

Sister Marty lived her life in service to the Dear Neighbor. Whether CEO or committee chairperson, she was a welcoming presence. She loved connecting people to causes and meaningful relationships were often discovered because she took the time to listen. Only then would she act.

As God would call, let it be said that she never turned away from “Yes. Here am I. Use me.” She will be missed, but our world, our communities, our Congregation will be better because she lived among us.

May Sr. Martin (Marty) rest in God’s eternal peace.