Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky, foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame Aug. 26. Accepting on her behalf was, at left, Sylvania Franciscan Sister Diana Lynn Eckel, congregational minister, holding the award. Also in attendance were, from left, Sister Nancy Linenkugel, Sister Mary Jon Wagner and Sister Par Gardner. (Photo courtesy of Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis)

The Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame honors Ohio women who emerge as leaders in their fields, often against great odds, with courage, determination and compassion.

Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky founded the Sisters of St. Francis in 1916 with almost no resources except a few sandy acres in Sylvania. She developed the community into the largest congregation of women religious in northwest Ohio. For 48 years she provided administration, vision and spiritual leadership and established numerous ministries to respond to needs in education, healthcare and social services.

Accepting the award on behalf of Mother Adelaide, who died in 1964, was Sylvania Franciscan Sister Diana Lynn Eckel, congregational minister of the Sylvania Franciscans.

“I accept this award on behalf of my 200 sisters in community for the person and life of Mother Adelaide,” said Sr. Eckel. “We do so in deep appreciation: first to God for the gift of this inspirational and courageous woman whose enduring and compelling spirit brought us into being, and secondly, to Mother Adelaide herself. It was her zest for life, her embracing the risk at hand and her determination to make the world a better place for having been in it that resulted in her pioneering work begun in 1916 in Sylvania, Ohio.”

The Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1978 to publicly recognize the outstanding contributions Ohio women have made to the state and nation. Mother Adelaide was nominated by Sylvania Franciscan Sister Nancy Linenkugel, Counselor and congregational secretary, who was a 1999 inductee into the Hall of Fame.