A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Patricia Sullivan, D.C., was celebrated Feb. 3, 2016, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville. Sister Patricia died Jan. 31, 2016, at Seton Residence. She was 86 years of age and 68 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in St. Louis, Mo., April 10, 1929, Sister Patricia was one of two children born to Aloysius Francis and Gladys (Oswald) Sullivan. She was baptized Mary Patricia. Sister graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Louis in 1947, and she entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis in September of 1947.
Sister Patricia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Fontbonne University in St. Louis in 1954. She earned her Master of Arts degree in English from Xavier University in New Orleans, La., in 1959.
After initial formation, Sister Patricia taught at St. Theresa School in New Orleans (1948 to 1957); St. Joseph High School in New Orleans (1957 to 1960); Cathedral High School in Natchez, Miss. (1960 to 1963); Cardinal Stritch High School in Keokuk, Iowa (1963 to 1964); and St. Vincent High School in Perryville, Mo. (1964 to 1967). Sister Patricia then served at the former Marillac Provincialate in Normandy, Mo., as Archivist (1967 to 1971). While at Marillac, Sister also served as Assistant Postulant Directress (1971 to 1972) and as Assistant Second Seminary Directress (1972 to 1974). Sister Patricia taught at St. Mary’s Regional School in West Plains, Mo. (1974 to 1976 and 1977 to 1979). She served at Our Lady of the Ozarks in Carthage, Mo. (1976 to 1977 and 1979 to 1980). In 1980, Sister Patricia was missioned to Springfield, Mo. There, she began 21 years of ministry to primarily Vietnamese immigrants and refugees. She served as a teacher and case manager at the Diocesan Resettlement Office (1980 to 1994) and as an English as Second Language instructor in the same Diocesan Office (1994 to 2001). In 2001, Sister was missioned to St. Louis where she served as a volunteer mentor and teacher at the Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Program (2001 to 2006). In 2006, Sister joined the Ministry of Prayer at the Sarah Community in St. Louis. In 2012, Sister was missioned to Seton Residence in Evansville where she served in the Ministry of Prayer until the time of her death.
Sister Patricia was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Jack Sullivan. (Her paternal aunt, Sister Mary Helen Sullivan, D.C., was also a Daughter of Charity; Sister Mary Helen died in 1992.) Sister Patricia is survived by her cousin, also a Daughter of Charity, Sister Mary William Sullivan, D.C., of Bridgeton, Mo.; nieces and nephews; friends; and her Sisters in Community.