8 9 , ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁de acon ess ▁sister s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁were ▁consec r ated ▁by ▁the ▁De acon ess ▁Society . ▁De acon ess ▁sister s ▁lived ▁in ▁a ▁group ▁home , ▁were ▁paid ▁a ▁small ▁st ip end ▁and ▁no ▁sal ary , ▁and ▁in ▁later ▁years ▁were ▁subject ▁to ▁short - term ▁or ▁permanent ▁trans fers . ▁They ▁were ▁to ▁remain ▁un mar ried . ▁They ▁wore ▁uniform s ▁and ▁were ▁addressed ▁as ▁" S ister " ▁followed ▁by ▁their ▁for en ames . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁hospital ▁was ▁located ▁at ▁ 2 1 1 9 ▁Eugen ia ▁Street ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁The ▁second ▁hospital , ▁at ▁ 4 1 1 7 ▁West ▁Belle ▁Place , ▁was ▁open ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁The ▁third ▁hospital ▁at ▁ 6 1 5 0 ▁Oak land ▁Avenue ▁was ▁a ▁Spanish ▁rev ival ▁building ; ▁it ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁hospital , ▁by ▁then ▁named ▁Forest ▁Park ▁Hospital , ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Ten et ▁Health care ▁Cor p . ▁of ▁Dallas ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Pro ceed s ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁sale ▁to ▁Ten et ▁Health care ▁Cor p . ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁De acon ess ▁Foundation , ▁which ▁gr ants ▁to ▁children ' s ▁causes ▁in ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁metropol itan ▁area . ▁In