Ursuline Sister Vera Del Grande, a former professor of education, died March 7 at Mercy Sacred Heart. She was 97 and had been an Ursuline Sister since 1935.
Sister Del Grande, a Louisville native, served as chair of the education department of Ursuline College from 1960 to 1968 and later at Bellarmine-Ursuline College (now Bellarmine University) from 1968 to 1970. She also taught in the education department at Indiana University Southeast from 1970 to 1986.
In earlier years, Sister Del Grande taught at grade schools in Nebraska and Louisville, including the old St. Vincent de Paul School and Sacred Heart Model School. She also founded the Ursuline Extended School center on the Ursuline campus, now known as Sacred Heart Preschool.
She also directed the Ursuline ministry office from 1981 to 1987 and the sisters’ Associate Call Program from 1994 to 2000. Later, she served as a volunteer. She moved into Mercy Sacred Heart in 2013.
Sister Del Grande is survived by nieces, nephews and her Ursuline community.
Visitation will be held at the Ursuline Motherhouse, 3115 Lexington Road, on March 11 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A vigil service will begin at 7 p.m.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated March 12 in the Motherhouse Chapel at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Michael Cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Ursuline Sisters and mailed to the Mission Advancement Office, 3105 Lexington Road, Louisville, Ky., 40206.
