A memorial Mass for native St. Louisan Loretto Sister Dolores Kelledy was celebrated Sept. 17, in the Church of the Seven Dolors on the grounds of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, Ky.
Sister Dolores, a longtime educator in St. Louis parochial and public schools, died Aug. 30 at Loretto Motherhouse Infirmary. She was 93 and this year celebrated the 75th anniversary of her life as a Sister of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross.
Sister Dolores was born Sept. 13, 1926, in St. Louis and baptized at Sacred Heart Church. She attended Sacred Heart School and graduated in 1944 from St. Alphonsus (Rock) Parish High School in St. Louis. She entered the Sisters of Loretto from Sacred Heart Parish in 1944, and was received into the congregation April 25, 1945. She made her first vows in 1947 and her final vows in 1950. Sister Dolores earned a bachelor’s degree in education, with a minor in social studies, in 1958 from Nazareth College (now Spalding University) in Louisville, Kentucky, and a master’s in education in 1969 from Webster College (now University) in Webster Groves.
Sister Dolores taught for nearly 60 years. Her favorite class, she said, was second grade. She particularly enjoyed preparing youngsters for First Communion. In the St. Louis Archdiocese, Sister Dolores taught at St. Pius in St. Louis (1956-60), St. Ann in Normandy (1960-63), and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Baden (1963-65). She was superior and principal at St. Paul the Apostle in St. Louis (1965-70). She taught in St. Louis at Jackson Public School (1970-75), Walnut Park Branch School (1975-77), Mark Twain School (1977-82), St. Louis Magnet Public Schools (1982-83), Ames Public School (1983-90), with the St. Louis Board of Education (1990-94) and at Shepard School (1994-97). She was a teacher aide at Cathedral School in St. Louis (1994-97), and a remedial teacher at St. Martin of Tours in St. Louis (1997-2004.) Sister Dolores worked as a welcome greeter at Kutis Funeral Home from 2004-2010. Elsewhere, she served in parochial schools in Denver (1947-50) and Louisville (1950-56). She retired to Loretto Motherhouse in 2012.
Sister Dolores is survived by her sister Lillian Kelledy of St. Louis. Sister Dolores donated her body to the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
