Obituary - Posted: 8/31/07
Sister Lydia Gaspard
Sister Mary Lydia Gaspard, 96, A Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, Minn., died on Friday, August 24, 2007 at Assisi Heights, Rochester.
Born Josephine Florence Gaspard on July 6, 1911 in Caledonia, Sister Lydia entered the Sisters of Saint Francis in 1928 from St. Peter Parish, Caledonia and made vows in 1930. Sister began her teaching ministry at St. Peter Parish, North St. Paul. Her teaching career spanned nearly 40 years and included many of the parochial schools in the Winona Diocese: Waseca, Rochester, Winona, Sleepy Eye, Easton and Ellsworth. In addition, she taught in Ironton and Portsmouth, Ohio. Upon her retirement from the classroom, as a gifted artist she set up and supervised a ceramics shop at Assisi Heights. Sister Lydia retired to Assisi Heights in 1988 and celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1990.
Sister Lydia is survived by her Religious Congregation and one sister, Mildred Lee, of Caledonia.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Victor and Orville and three sisters Hermina Schmitz, Lauretta Rathke and Florence Becker.
A mass of Christian burial was held Thursday, August 30 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, Assisi Heights. Memorials are suggested to the sisters of St. Francis of Rochester.
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