Camille's Sister Francis de Sales Provancher
Forty Years of Loyal and Devoted Service
Born in Marinetta Wisconsin, of French-American parentage, Sister Francis de Sales Provancher attended St Joseph School and graduated from there in 1934. It was in 1931, while still a young girl of 14 years, that she heard the call to follow Christ in the apostolate of serving patients with Hansen's disease. Her pastor, Father Therioult, put her in touch with Sister Catherine Sullivan, who was then Sister Servant of Carville. A correspondence began between the two Sisters, resulting in her entrance into the Daughters of Charity community in October, 1934.
After completing a little over a year at the Provincial House in St Louis, Sister was missioned to Chicago where she studied nursing at 9t Joseph's Hospital. After receiving her license, she was miesiuned to yet another St Joseph's Hospital - this one in St Joseph, Missouri. In 1942 she was recalled to Marillac Provincial House where Sister Catherine Sullivan, who was by then Provincial Assistant, gave her the joyful news that she was being sent to Carville.
After serving at Carville as a nurse until 1950, Sinter was then sent to St Louis University where she completed the required studies for licensing as a certified medical librarian. She returned to Carville and served as an assistant to Sister Lucille, who retired in 1954. Sister Francis de Sales was then assigned as Chief of Medical Records.
In 1963 she was asked to travel to Paris, France to be the American Secretary, representing the Englishspeaking Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Provinces of the United States, Japan, end Bolivia. Dr John Trautman, then Chief, Clinical Branch, offered to write to the Mother General in Paris and request that sister be permitted to remain at Carville. However, the vow of obedience, which she had taken in 1940, prevailed-as would be expected, and Sinter flew to Paris on Labor Day. In 1970, with her tour of duty in Paris at an end, Sister was returned to Carville where she resumed her position in Medical Records. .
Sister de Sales is one of the most beloved Daughters of Charity to have ever served at Carville-with the first members of the order arriving here in 1896 when the facility was operated by the State of Louisiana.
She celebrated her 50th anniversary as a Daughter of Charity in 1985. In July, 1991 she received her award for 40 years of distinguished service with the United States Government, although she had actually reached this milestone a year earlier. (Awards earned in 1990 were presented in 1991).
In reflecting on her service at carville Sister said that she has "been privileged to live and
work among our patients, with whom I have shared joys and sorrows. These 40 years with them
have taught me lessons in courage and love and I thank God for keeping me here. It is my wish to
remain as long as I may be of service. I have also enjoyed working with others who serve our
patients, for it is teamwork that creates a family spirit which grows with the passage of time.
Would that I had forty more years to share with you! God is good to have given me this privilege.
I cherish the gift of your friendships, of your examples of courage and faith in the midst of so
many difficulties. Our spirit is a family spirit - patients and staff work together and the result is
actually unity in diversity. May God give to each of you that strength which will uplift you at all
times - His love which surpasses all things. For all that you are, for all that you have given me, I
thank the Lord. Yes, we are a family-we support each other. May we spend many more years
together, and may God bless each of You."
Star staff, and we are certain, all patients and staff offer our heartiest congratulations to Sister and our sincerest thanks for everything she has done for us. We are privileged to know and to work with a person who is already a legend-a person who has served her God and the patients in a most wondrous way. We too hope that she will be with us for many more years!
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