Chaminade University of Honolulu held a short prayer service yesterday morning in honor of President Mary Civille "Sue" Wesselkamper at the Mystical Rose Oratory on the school's campus.

Wesselkamper, who headed Hawai'i's only Catholic university for 13 years, died Saturday. She had been diagnosed with cancer in 2005.

The informal service was attended by some 200 people, including university colleagues, faculty, alumni, friends and members of the community. Father Ken Templin led the church in several prayers and reflections to help in the grieving process.

"All of us here at Chaminade have come to love her as a dear sister and a beloved friend," Templin said. "This day is joy-filled because we know she is at peace. But it's sad, because we had to let her go."

Lei draped a poster-sized photograph of Wesselkamper — wearing her signature purple blazer — at the front of the church. Attendees were given purple ribbons and buttons with a picture of Wesselkamper on them.

Chaminade University spokeswoman Kapono Ryan said the prayer service was planned to give Wesselkamper's colleagues a opportunity to grieve. She said it's a Marianist tradition to "gather the community" in prayer when a member of the school's community passes away.

Funeral services are scheduled for this weekend.

A handful of people stayed after yesterday's ceremony to write messages of condolences on sheets of purple paper — Wesselkamper's favorite color — that would be given to her family.

Sierra Williams, a 23-year-old graduate student at Chaminade University, said she'll remember Wesselkamper's ability to make every student feel like they mattered. While Williams was an undergraduate student, she said she remembered working as a student resident adviser and getting invited to Wesselkamper's Kahala home.

"She was always so genuine. She really made you feel that she cared about you," she said.

When Wesselkamper took a leave of absence in September 2008, the school planned a prayer service for her. Williams said she remembered Wesselkamper showing up for her own service.

"Even when she was really sick, she was still a part of us," Williams said, choking up.

Yesterday's service was also attended by faculty members past and present.

Jude Yablonsky, retired professor of Communication at Chaminade, said faculty members appreciated Wesselkamper's ability to listen.

"She was such an open person, wiling to hear whatever we had to say. She's hard to describe really ... she's all those wonderful adjectives," Yablonsky said.

Alumnus Talanda Jones Preston attended Chaminade before Wesselkamper became president. But Preston said she still felt a connection to her.

"She was like a second mother," Preston said.

Preston said she stayed involved with Chaminade long after leaving the school and became acquainted with Wesselkamper. In 2006, she remembered Wesselkamper attending a Chaminade class reunion in Las Vegas. Preston said Wesselkamper was like the matriarch of the Chaminade 'ohana — past and present.

"It saddens my heart to know that she's gone," Preston said.

Wesselkamper is survived by her husband, Thomas Wesselkamper; daughter Suzanne; son David; and her two grandsons Samson and Tomas Angel Wesselkamper.