A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Ursula Cazalé, D.C., was celebrated Friday, August 9, 2019, at The Sarah Community Marian Chapel, Bridgeton, Mo.; burial followed on Saturday, August 10, at Marillac Cemetery in Normandy, Mo. Sister Ursula died on August 5, 2019, at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton. Sister was 93 years of age and 72 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born June 18, 1926, in New Orleans, La., Sister Ursula (baptized Ursula Emily) was one of six girls (four of whom pursued life as women religious) and one boy born to Philip Peter and Henrietta Marguerite (Lassus) Cazalé. Sister Ursula was a 1943 graduate of St. Mary’s Dominican High School, New Orleans, La. In 1950, Sister received her Nursing Diploma from St. Joseph School of Nursing, Chicago, Ill.; in 1951; she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill.; and in 1962, earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing Service Administration from St. John’s University in Jamaica, N.Y.
Sister Ursula entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, New Orleans, La., in January 1947. Following initial formation, Sister Ursula served as Nursing Supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago, Ill., (1947 to 1951). For three months (1951 to 1952), Sister Ursula served as Nursing Supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital in Alton, Ill.; then, served as Nursing Supervisor and Director of Nursing at Providence Hospital, Mobile, Ala., (1952 to 1961). She then served as Director of Nursing at Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas (1962 to 1966) and St. Margaret’s Hospital in Montgomery, Ala. (1966 to 1967). Sister Ursula was missioned to Charity Hospital in Lafayette, La., where she served as Supervisor of Nursing (1967 to 1969); then, she was missioned to New Orleans, La., to serve as Staff Nurse at DePaul Hospital (1969 to 1973) and Hotel Dieu Hospital (1973 to 1982). Sister Ursula served as Infirmary Staff Nurse at Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis, Mo., (1982 to 1987); then, she was missioned to Dallas, Texas, to serve as a Volunteer in Guest Relations at St. Paul Medical Center (1987 to 2001) and St. Paul University Hospital (2001 to 2004). In 2004, Sister was missioned to Waco, Texas, where she served as a Volunteer for eight years (2004 to 2012). In 2012, Sister Ursula entered the Ministry of Prayer at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton, Mo.; she served there until the time of her death.
Sister Ursula was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Sister Agnes Cazalé M.M., Sister Mary Cosmas Cazalé, O.P., Sister Mary Damian Cazalé, O.P., Mrs. Magdalen Cazalé Hooper, and Rita (Joseph) Cazalé Lechnar, and her brother, Joseph Cazalé. She is survived by her nephews, Father William Lechnar and Joe (Joyce) Lechnar, and her niece Mary Rita (Tom) Rush; many friends; and her Sisters in Community.