Sr. Rosella Uding, CDP (formerly Sister Mary Ronald) went to her eternal reward on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Passavant Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of 72. She was born on April 9, 1947 to a loving family in rural St. Genevieve, Missouri. She was the fifth of eleven children of Raymond and Lucille (Hoog) Uding. She grew up sharing in all the family activities and responsibilities with her siblings on the Uding family farm. Sr. Rosella enjoyed a close relationship with all of her family throughout her entire life. She entered the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963 and made final vows on August 21, 1971. Sr. Rosella was an elementary school teacher for a total of ten years at the following schools: North American Martyrs School and Ascension School in St. Louis, Missouri, St. Elizabeth School in Granite City, Illinois and St. Mary/St. Mary School in Madison, Illinois. Always an educator at heart she also felt drawn towards the formation of the spiritual lives of youth. She had a desire to reach a greater number of children and saw that ministry as a director of youth and of religious education in a parish would allow her to reach more children in parish. Sr. Rosella had obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1971 and in 1981 received a Master’s Degree in Religious Education from Seattle University. She followed her dream by ministering as the Director of Religious Education at St. Elizabeth Church in Granite City, Illinois from 1980 until 1988 and as the Minister of Children and Youth at Holy Family Church in Litchfield, Illinois from 1988 until 2003. After taking a sabbatical, Sr. Rosella worked for a short time as Director of Religious Education at St. Matthew Parish in Alton, Illinois in 2003. She then became the administrator of the Generalate (International Headquarters) of the Sisters of Divine Providence in Wakefield, Rhode Island from 2004 until 2007 followed by serving as Vocation Director from 2007 until 2008. At the time of her death she had been serving as Director of Religious Education at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Wheeling, West Virginia since 2009. Sr. Rosella’s long terms of service in parishes evidenced her commitment to providing spiritual formation to generations of children from their earliest school days through high school and beyond. She endeared herself to families, supporting them and participating in the highs and lows of their lives. In addition to her beloved parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Edmond. She is survived by her siblings and spouses, Carl and Karen Uding, Vincent and Sue Uding, Marjory and John Flieg, Geralyn and Mark Henderson, Gerard and Mary Ann Uding, Myra and Bill Flieg, Charles and Michelle Uding, Ronald and Lorraine Uding; sister-in-law, Judy Uding; many nieces; nephews; grand-nieces; grand-nephews; the Sisters of Divine Providence and their associates.
In celebration of her life, visitation will be at Irwin Chapel, 3960 Maryville Road in Granite City on Thursday, June 27, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Granite City on Friday, June 28, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. with Fr. Jeff Holtman as celebrant. Burial will be at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. Memorials may be made to Sisters of Divine Providence, 9000 Babcock Blvd, Allison Park, Pennsylvania 15101 and may be accepted at the funeral home. www.irwinchapel.com
