Sister Mary Michele Mazur, CSSF, 1928-2020

Sister Mary Michele Mazur, 92, a Felician Sister for 70 years, died in Harris Hill Nursing Facility, Williamsville, Nov. 28, 2020. The former Adele Mazur was born on July 29, 1928, in Rochester. She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on Sept. 15, 1950, and professed perpetual vows on Aug. 14, 1958. She graduated from Nazareth Academy in Rochester. Sister Michele held a bachelor of science degree in Education from Mount St. Joseph Teachers College, now Medaille, in Buffalo, and a master’s in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

Sister Michele began her ministry as a Felician sister in child care at St. Rita’s Home for Children in Getzville. The following year she continued her teaching career at St. Stanislaus Kostka School in Niagara Falls, after which she moved to the Diocese of Syracuse where she spent five years as a third-grade teacher at Sacred Heart School. She returned to the Diocese of Buffalo and taught at many Catholic elementary schools, including St. Stanislaus Kostka, Niagara Falls; Assumption, Buffalo; St. Hyacinth, Lackawanna; Queen of Martyrs, Cheektowaga; St. Teresa of Avila, Akron; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cheektowaga; and St. John de La Salle, Niagara Falls. Her last teaching experience in elementary school was at Resurrection School in Cheektowaga.

Talented in the field of art, Sister Michele taught Art Education at Cardinal O’Hara High School, Tonawanda, from 1979 to 1988. She also spent three years as an art aide at Villa Maria Academy in Buffalo. She was a creative artist and used her gifts to make others aware of the beauty around them by sharing many of her insights in many ways. A regular highlight in her life was attending the annual Allentown Art Festival held in Buffalo.

In 1993, she began her service as caretaker for her mother. Since she lived within close proximity to the convent, she also assisted at the convent office on a part-time basis. Upon her return to community living, she assisted in various capacities at Sacred Heart Convent in Syracuse, St. Mary Convent in New York Mills, and St. Francis Residence Convent in Buffalo.

Because of health issues, Sister Michele became a patient in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center on Sept. 8, 2015. During her stay at the care center, she was very kind, generous and accommodating toward the sisters.  Sister Michele considered her personal call to the religious life as a Felician Sister the greatest gift she received from God.

Sister Michele is survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Mazur. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Mary (Malinowski) Mazur and her brother, Ted Mazur.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Sister Michele at a future date. Interment will take place at St. Stanislaus Cemetery on Tuesday, Dec. 1.