Sister Mary Esther Odachowski died July 25, 2018, at St. Francis Park in the 86th year of life and the 68th year of religious life.

Sister Esther was born on Feb. 6, 1932, in Baltimore, Md., to Walter and Stephanie (Sobotka) Odachowski. On Jan. 5, 1949, she became a postulant and on July 19, 1953, Sister Esther professed her final vows.

Sister Esther received her master's degree at Long Island University in Brooklyn and attended St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing, Brooklyn. She taught at St. Columba School in Buffalo before getting her nursing degree and moving into the health care field. For over 25 years, Sister Esther served as a nurse, charge nurse or supervising nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in Brooklyn; Marycrest Manor, Livonia, Mich.; St. Joseph Hospital, Cheektowaga; St. Anthony's Home for the Aged, Hamburg; and Immaculate Conception Convent, Hamburg. She then studied and was certified in clinical pastoral education at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital in Darby, Pa., before entering into service in pastoral ministry. She returned to St. Mary's Hospital in Brooklyn to tend to the spiritual needs of the patients as others cared for their physical needs. Later in her ministerial life, Sister Esther served her community as director of formation, director of associates, and as a local minister before joining her sisters in the Health Care community in Hamburg.

Since childhood, Sister Esther had a great devotion to St. Jude and she prayed for his intercession during her nursing career, especially in difficult situations. She liked reading, watching nature and watching EWTN. She cheered on the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens on TV and was often torn between the two. In her younger days, Sister Esther entertained the other sisters by playing the piano and organ.

A funeral Mass will be offered in the chapel on Friday, July 27, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be at St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga.