Laurine Dichtel, SCN, 91, was born in Memphis, TN. She died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, KY, on Monday, February 5, 2018. She had been a professed Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 64 years.
After making First Vows, Sister Laurine served in educational ministries. She taught Science, English, and Religion at schools in Helena AR; Owensboro, KY; Leonardtown, MD; Mt. Vernon, OH; and Covington, KY.
She was commissioned to teach in 1970 at the newly formed Memphis Catholic High School where three schools merged: all-girls, black co-ed, and all-boys. In 1997 she was among the founding members of the Memphis Catholic Alumni Association. She was inducted into the Memphis Catholic Hall of fame in 2017.
In 1967, Sister Laurine graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Master’s Degree in English.
She is survived by her nieces, nephews and their families, and by her religious community.
Nazareth Home, Louisville, KY, will have a Prayer Service at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 9.
A Prayer Vigil will be held at St. Vincent Church, Nazareth, KY on Sunday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 12 at St. Vincent Church, Nazareth, KY. Burial will be in Nazareth Cemetery.
Funeral Arrangements are being handled by Ratterman Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY. Memorials may be made to Office of Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Nazareth, KY, 40048.
The funeral liturgy for Sister Laurine can be viewed here: vimeo.com/255414853
Sister Dichtel was my Freshman English teacher at Memphis Catholic High School. She loved to see students reading and had these big bean bag chairs in the back of the classroom where you could read. She always had a smile for everyone. Her work touched many lives and she will be missed.
How blessed we were to have Sr. Laurine as an educator here in Memphis at Sacred Heart and Memphis Catholic High School! Her love for her students continued even after we had graduated. She was a life long friend to so many of us. Without Sr. Laurine’s gentle support I might not have ever entered Nazareth in 1966. My life would have far poorer without my Nazareth experience. I will forever be grateful for her leading me to the amazing women who entered with me on September 8th and the friendships we have shared for these 52 year.
In gratitude,
Betty Thompson Pate (aka Sr. Deborah)