A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Estelle Laiche, D.C., was celebrated Nov. 19, 2013, at the Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery.
Sister Estelle died Nov. 16, 2013, at 91 years of age at Seton Residence. In January of 2013, she celebrated 72 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in St. James, La., on Feb. 11, 1922, Sister Estelle was one of 16 children born to Louis and Antonia (Paille) Laiche. She was baptized Claire Lucille. She was a 1940 graduate of St. Joseph High School in New Orleans.
Sister Estelle joined the Daughters of Charity in January 1941. After completing initial formation in St. Louis, she began nurse’s training at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago, Ill., in 1942, remaining there in service until 1946. In 1951, she earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing education at DePaul University in Chicago.
Sister served as a nursing supervisor at St. Mary Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., from 1946 to 1956 and then transferred to the National Hansen’s Disease Center in Carville, La., as a staff nurse where she served until 1962. She also served as pediatrics supervisor and director of nursing service at Charity Hospital in Lafayette, La., from 1962 to 1969 and nursing supervisor at Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, La., from 1969 to 1971 before attending a renewal program at Marillac College in St. Louis, Mo.
Sister Estelle continued service at Hotel Dieu as the clinic director/dialysis supervisor 1972 to 1976; as infirmary supervisor at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis 1976 to 1980; as health services coordinator/infirmary supervisor at Marillac Provincial House Villa Infirmary in St. Louis 1976 to 1981; as head nurse at Labouré Care Center in Dallas, Texas, 1981 to 1982; as hostess at Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg, Md., in 1982; in the parish ministry in Osage Area Parishes in Pawhuska, Okla., from 1982 to 1984; as a registered nurse at Pawhuska Hospital 1984 to 1985 and at Hotel Dieu-Chalmette/Family Medical Center in New Orleans 1985 to 1988; and as clinic nurse coordinator and home visitor at Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio-DePaul Division in San Antonio, Texas, from 1988 to 1995.
Sister became a volunteer at Food for Families/Food for Seniors in New Orleans from 1995 until 2004, when she volunteered assisting Ladies of Charity at El Carmen Parish in San Antonio until 2007. Sister Estelle was then missioned to the Ministry of Prayer in 2007 at Our Lady of Wisdom in New Orleans and then at Seton Residence in Evansville in 2010.
Sister Estelle is survived by four siblings, Patricia Radecker, Theresa Laiche, and Paul Laiche all of Metairie, La.; and Catherine Baiamonte of Leesburg, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sister Estelle’s name to the Daughters of Charity, 4330 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo., 63108.