LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Ursuline Sister of Louisville Antonine Biven, O.S.U. age 96, died in the 77th year of her religious life on Dec. 28, 2024, at Nazareth Home–Clifton in Louisville. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Mildred Louise (her baptismal name) graduated from the former Ursuline Academy. She entered the Ursulines in 1947 at age 19.
A gifted musician, her high school classmates pooled their money together her senior year to rent Memorial Auditorium so that she could give a piano concert. On the ride home on a city bus, someone noticed her sheet music and asked, “Do you play?” Mildred Louise answered, “A little.” As a postulant, she learned to play everything from a violin to a saxophone, and while practicing the trombone, knocked her bonnet off her head with her slide!

Sister Antonine was a music teacher at St. Raphael, St. Therese, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Helen, St. Francis of Assisi and Sacred Heart Model School in Louisville, as well as St. Mary School in Jackson, Mississippi, and Ursuline High School in Columbia, South Carolina.
Sister also served as pastoral associate and music minister at St. Mary Church in Maryville, Kentucky, pastoral associate of music at St. Helen Church and director of music at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, both in Louisville. She was honored by Our Lady of Lourdes for her years of service in 2023.
Sister Antonine earned a bachelor of arts degree from the former Ursuline College (now Bellarmine University) in Louisville, a master of arts degree in music from Notre Dame University and a master’s degree in religious education from Loyola University New Orleans.
She served on the Ursuline Sisters’ leadership team three times between 1976 and 1992. Sister Antonine also ministered at Project Women (now Family Scholar House) and the former Marian Home on the Ursuline Campus.
Sister Antonine is the daughter of the late Frederick and Lillian Kleier Biven. She is survived by several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-grand nieces and nephews, as well as her community of Ursuline Sisters and Associates.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville and mailed to the Donor Relations Office, 3115 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40206.