Sister Mary Ann Dice (formerly Sister Ursula), 81, a Benedictine sister of Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kan., died Sunday, March 14, 2021, at the monastery. Funeral services are pending to a later date.

Sister Mary Ann was born in Kansas City, Mo., on April 2, 1939, the youngest of three children of Bertha (Gladbach) and Fred Dice. She attended Holy Trinity Grade School in Lenexa, Ks., and St. Joseph High School in Shawnee, Ks. After her graduation in 1957, she entered the Benedictine sisters. She earned a B.S. in education from Mount St. Scholastica College and M.A. in teaching from Webster University. As a primary teacher in parish elementary schools in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, Sister Mary Ann prepared hundreds of children for their First Communion and Confession. Early in her career, she received an Outstanding Young Teacher award in Salisbury, Mo., and continued to excel and be a model educator for 45 years. When she returned to the Mount, she supervised the monastery laundry and did embroidery work.

Sister Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha and Fred Dice.

She is survived by her sister, Cynthia Bach (Herb), of Jetmore, Kan., and her brother, Fred Dice (Fran), of Heber Springs, Ark., nieces, and nephews, and her monastic family.

Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be sent to Mount St. Scholastica or made online at the Mount’s website (www.mountosb.org).