A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Dolores Coleman, D.C., was held Aug. 28, 2015, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville. Sister Dolores died Aug. 25, 2015, at Seton Residence. She was 94 years of age and 74 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Meridian, Miss., March 8, 1921, Sister Dolores was one of two children born to Andrew Jackson and Ruth (Ladnier) Coleman. She was baptized Mary Dolores Coleman. Sister graduated from Visitation Academy in Mobile, Ala., and entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis, Mo., in June 1941.
Sister earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and French from Fontbonne University (then College) in St. Louis in 1947. She earned her Master of Arts in English at DePaul University in Chicago in 1954.
Following initial formation, Sister Dolores began teaching. She served at Cathedral Schools in Natchez, Miss. (1942–1948 and 1965–1969); St. Patrick High School in Chicago (1948–1956 and 1969–1970); St. Vincent School in Keokuk, Iowa (1956–1957); and Labouré High School in St. Louis (1957–1965). Sister then served in social work at Marillac Social Center in Chicago (1970–1971) and St. Rose Home in Milwaukee (1971–1972). In 1972, Sister Dolores was appointed the Director of the Apostolate of Deaf in Jackson, Miss. She served there until 1977. For the next 20 years (1977–1997), Sister ministered as the Program Director for the Diocesan Office for the Deaf and Disabled in the Diocese of Gulfport, Miss. In Gulfport, she founded and directed the de l’Epee Deaf Center. Sister then ministered as a Pastoral Care Associate at Allen Memorial Home in Mobile (1997–2002) and in hospital services at Providence Hospital in Mobile (2002–2003). In 2004, Sister Dolores joined the Ministry of Prayer at Seton Residence in Evansville where she served until the time of her death.
Sister Dolores was an inductee in the Gulfport, Mississippi Hall of Honor, and she was a published poet. She was preceded in death by her parents, and by her sister, Sister Mary Andrea Coleman, R.S.M. She is survived by many friends and her Sisters in Community.