Jane Ellen Carstens

Funeral Services will be held at a 2:00 pm Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, July 29, 2011 at Our Lady of Wisdom Church for Dr. Jane Ellen Carstens, 89, who passed away on July 25, 2011 at 1:22 pm at Lafayette General Medical Center. Reverend Hampton Davis, Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace will be the Celebrant of the Mass. Con-celebrants shall include Reverend Bryce Sibley, Pastor of Our Lady of Wisdom Church and Reverend Chester Arceneaux, Rector of Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Interment will take place in St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in New Iberia, LA. Dr. Carstens, a native of New Iberia, was the daughter of the late Charles John Carstens, Sr. of Shreveport, Louisiana and the former Marie Blanchet of New Iberia, Louisiana. She was a decedent of the late Henry Frederick Duperier, the man who incorporated the city of New Iberia in 1839. Dr. Carstens graduated from New Iberia High School and then from Southwest LA Institute (now ULL) with a degree in Elementary Education in 1942. As a student she was a member of the Red Jackets pep squad, a group still making its presence known at occasional ULL sporting events. She was chosen to go to Washington D.C. as a LA Honor Delegate. After graduation from SLI, she began her extensive teaching career at her own alma mater. Over the years she continued her own pursuit of higher education. She received her master's degree in Library Science from Louisiana State University and her Doctorate of Library Science from Columbia University in New York City, where she graduated magna cum laude. Throughout her career, Dr. Carstens served on many committees and enjoyed memberships in numerous organizations associated with her profession. Most significant among those were her membership on the Newbery Award Committee, a panel chosen to evaluate new children's literature. In 1986 she was honored as one of ULL's outstanding alumni for her dedication and service to the university. Other honors bestowed on her include The Excellence in Teaching Award. After having touched the lives of thousands of students for over 52 years, Dr. Cartstens retired from UL. Even after her retirement, she continued her dedication by maintaining a continuing presence in university matters and in the lives of her students. A lifelong devout Catholic, Dr. Carstens was an active member of UL's Our Lady of Wisdom's congregation. She served as advisor on many of the churches boards. She loved reading, especially children's books. Although she had no children of her own, she considered all her students to be her children. She enjoyed traveling and visited many countries throughout her lifetime. She spent many summers teaching in Austin, Texas and working as a children's librarian at the New York Public Library. She is survived by one brother-in-law, Frank Moran of Appleton, WI; nine nieces, Ann Carstens, Cathy Carstens McFadden and husband Bill, Mary Onellion Seale and husband Ted, Mary Ellen Moran Fisher, Nancy Moran Widen and husband Christian, Cathy Moran Wales and husband Kent, Louise Moran Kunstman and husband Timm, Anne Moran Garvey and husband James, Jr., Elizabeth Moran Garber and husband Frank; four nephews, Sully Onellion, Jr. and wife Brenda, Timothy Onellion, Patrick Onellion and wife Debbie and Bryan Moran and wife Mary, also numerous grand and great grand nieces and nephews, and long timefriends, Dr. Doris Bentley and Mrs. Marie LaCaze. She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother, Marie Estorge Carstens; four sisters, Anna Henriette Carstens, Mary Carstens Onellion, Carolyn Carstens Smith and Noelie Carstens Moran; one brother, Charles John Carstens, Jr.; four nephews, Charles Thomas Onellion, Phillip Carstens Onellion, Franklin Douglas Onellion and Larry Richard Onellion. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Thursday, July 28, 2011 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm. A rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm Thursday evening. Visitation will continue on Friday at 8:00 am until the time of service. Pallbearers will be Sully, Timothy and Patrick Onellion, Frank, Nicholas and Alexander Garber and Ted Seale. Honorary Pallbearers will be Sheriff Michael Neustrom, Dr. Ray Authement, Dr. Thomas Rizzuto and Dr. Dan Jordan. The family request that memorial contributions be made to Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church, 501 E. St. Mary Blvd, Lafayette, LA, 70504 or Carstens, Fields, Franques, Richard Endowed Education Scholarship, U.L. Office of Development, P.O. Drawer 43410, Lafayette, LA, 70504. The family would like to thank all of the sitters from the Sisters Care Sitting Agency who gave her such loving care: Carletta Brown, Vera Lewis, Porsha Little, Trachial White, Tahesha Gage and a special thanks to Patricia Guillory and Jeanette Little. The family also would like to thank the staff at Louisiana Extended Care Hospital for their compassionate care. Personal condolences may be sent to the Carstens family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Jane Ellen Carstens

April 19, 1922 - July 25, 2011