Deborah Williams- Rodriguez writes: Debbie Williams- Class of 1983

As a student at NDH in Belmont, Sister Paula was scarry, stern and not someone I wanted to be called in to see. She was to be avoided at all cost. She was to me, the ultimate authority at school, other than God Himself.
I was at NDH with the help of financial aid. I worked in the office after school to help pay off my tuition. Sometimes I washed dishes after the Sisters had a luncheon. I missed out on sports, which I dearly wanted to play, because of work. I remember watching Mr. Mc Kenna and the softball team out the office window as I filed, stuffed envelopes and answered phones. But to me, it was all worth it! I received a wonderful education in a safe and loving community, where we statred each day in prayer and we were free to give God credit for all He does in our lives. We could explore our relationship with Him and ask questions and grow in His service. There is no place I would have rather been. I often wished NDH was still a boarding school and that I would never have to leave. I felt so at home.
Sister Paula was very instrumental in me receiving financial aid and when my parents ran into difficulty, working out payment arrangements so I could stay at ND. She had my Mother promise she would not buy a T.V. untill she finnished paying off my tuition. My mother kept that promise, and still talks about it today. It took her years to pay it off, and she still won't tell me how much it was. I officially graduated from NDH, again thanks to Sister Paula, who helped with the plan. I maried after my Jr. year. I was not allowed to return. I took my GED at night school and finnished my last year of high school and first year of college at the same time. I must give much thanks to Mr. Mc Kenna also as he was in college classes with me and shared his notes when I was unable to be there. He sat next to me in class and said, "Just call me Mike". I could never do that out of respect for him. He was the hardest teacher I had ever had, but the one who made me think the most for myself.
I came back to NDH for the first time in '09 for a reunion, and brought my daughter with me. When we arrived we found the reunion had been cancelled and we were so dissapointed. The day was rescued by the activities dirrector, Mrs. Denise Severi, who gave us our own personal tour around campus. By the end of the tour my daughter was wishing she had been able to attend ND, and so was I. I inquired about Sister Paula, and Denise took us directly over to see her. I was scared!
We were welcomed in by Sister Paula and the other Sisters. She gave us a tour of the chappel and a small history lesson about the stained glass. She was still teaching, still enlightening! Then we sat and had juice and cookies and just visited and reminissed about life at ND. I got to know her as a person rather than a principal, and found her to be such a beautiful woman of God. She was so full of love and compassion. She appologized about the T.V. promise. I told her it was worth it! She told me girls don't have to miss out on sports now when on schalarship, and was sorry I had. She told me she was affraid that she was too tough on us. This really bothered her. Now, as a mother, I understand how hard it was for me to keep five children in line. Sister Paula had to keep about 800 of us in line! I think she did a wonderful job. I don't know where I would be now if I hadn't been blessed with the strength,direction, fear of and respect for Sister Paula.
NDH was a no nonsense, well organized and efficient learning atmosphere. Her love and compassion were there all along, guiding her decissions and shaping us for a productive service to God and others in our communities.
A special thanks to Sister Paula, for prayers for my son Matthew. During our visit I shared that Matt had a car accident and was still going through treatment and surgeries. She and the Sisters immediately said a prayer with us on his behalf. Since that visit, Sister Paula and I exchanged cards and letters. She shared news about the Sisters and about her family, all of whom she dearly loved. She was suffering greatly with arthritis, but she always found time to lift my spirit and encourage me with her prayers, cards and kind words of faith.
I will miss her. I will treasure her cards and letters and never forget how very special she has been and how blessed I am to have had her in my life. My prayers are with her family and friends at this time, and pray our loss is Heaven's gain. It would be a curse to live forever, as this body falls apart and is filled with much pain. We all long to be at home with our Father in Heaven. She now has the reward of all her lifes love and efforts in the Lord.
I regret that I did not get this news sooner or I would be there, present with you to honor her life and all she has meant to me.

Eileen Krasovic (aka Matty) writes: Sr. Paula (then Sr. Catherine Dolores) was principal at NDSF during my years there from 1960-1964. I'll remember her love of the cartoon "Peanuts", her love of music and her wicked tennis serve she somehow was able to execute while in the bulky black habit worn in those days. A firm but fair principal you still didn't want to be called to her office. Many happy memories of those years will be with me forever.

Even after graduation I remained in contact with Sr. Paula and was able to visit her at the retirement center in Belmont in 2004.
A woman of great faith, I know she is reaping the rewards of all her good works.

My prayers are with her family as they mourn.

Martha Bunge Ketzler writes: Graduating in 1960 from NDSF I could not forsee the lasting effects of being part of the Notre Dame family and the memories that would last a lifetime. Sister Paula looms large in those thoughts now as she did in high school when as a student I stood before her facing my fate for misbehaving. I spent a lot of time enveloped in a cloud of eraser dust after school when cleaning blackboards and erasers were the chosen disciplinary action. More than once, a voice boomed from the PA system, "Martha Bunge report to the office" and I could feel rigor mortis setting in. But there is also the crystal clear memory of being in Choral class taught by Sister Paula and learning how to save air in the lungs to make a note last at least eight beats. At the time, I didn't take my education seriously but I now know that through a process like osmosis the learning and the appreciation for it was being absorbed and retained for use in later life and that Sister Paula was only trying to make me see it in the present.

Later, at class reunions, I saw Sister Paula in civilian dress and wondered at the thought that she was a real person. I joked with her that as a girl I envisioned wheels for feet under the long black habit. She had thought back in her life to the time when she had been tough on us and wanting to make amends she apologized to us from the heart. I was a person who had not been emotionally scarred by the past since my mother herself had been tough as nails in our upbringing. I loved the Notre Dame experience and am priviledged to still see some of my classmates at the yearly alumnae luncheons so the memories never fade and Sister Paula will always be there even though her earthly journey has ended and her new life has begun.