February 5, 1936 – May 28, 2024
Sr. Mary Joan Koskie, 88 years old, was called to eternal life on May 28, 2024, at Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother Franciscan Courts in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Sr. Mary Joan, born on February 5, 1936, in Milwaukee, WI, was named and baptized Joan Marilyn. She was the fourth of six girls (Diane Riemer, Marcella Pier, Laverne Starr, Sister M. Roseann Koskie, and Mary Williams) born to John Stanley and Rose Eleanor (Jozlzewski) Koskie.
Sr. Joan always told the story that her Dad who was so sure she was going to be a boy because they already had 3 girls, that he had picked out the name “John” but here she came along, the 4th girl, so they named her Joan. “Dad never did call me “Joan”, I was his “Johnny Boy”. I was the one who he would taking fishing on the pier, go mushroom picking, and help in his carpenter shop. He taught me how to sing and harmonize and play the little pump organ in the basement.”
Sr. Mary Joan entered the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother on August 19, 1952, in Milwaukee, WI, and professed first vows on August 12, 1955. She received the name Sister Mary Johneva which she changed back to her baptismal name in 1968. Sister celebrated her Silver Jubilee on August 17, 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; her Golden Jubilee on August 15, 1999, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; and her 60th Jubilee on August 9, 2015, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Sister Joan retired to SSM Franciscan Courts in 2012.
As a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother, Sr. Mary Joan served as a teacher from 1957-1972 in the following places: Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Wichita, KS; St. Louis School, Waterloo, KS; Mother of Perpetual Help School, Milwaukee, WI; St. Mary’s School, Denville, NJ; Our Lady of Good Hope School, Milwaukee, WI; Mater Dolorosa School, Villanueva, NM; St. Olaf’s School, Eau Claire, WI; St. Anne’s School, Broken Arrow, OK; St. Francis Borgia School, Cedarburg, WI; and St. Cecilia’s School, Thiensville, WI.
Later she received her Associate Degree in Nursing and her B.S. in Nursing. She worked as a nurse from 1974-1984 at the VA Hospital in Muskogee, OK; VA Hospital in Wood, WI; Marion Heights Nursing Home, Milwaukee, WI; St. Michael’s Hospital, Stevens Point, WI; Mother of Sorrows Convent, Milwaukee, WI; and Kimberly Nurse Service, Milwaukee, WI. From 1984-1986, she worked for Catholic Charities in Tulsa, OK and began work in 1990 in Pastoral Care/Admissions at St. Francis Medical Center, Wichita, KS. In 1996 she moved to Milwaukee, WI where she worked as a supervisor at Anew/Independency First Home Health and did extensive work serving the poor and homeless persons of Milwaukee. In 2000, Sr. Joan retired from nursing in favor of first-hand ministry to the poor. She taught English as a second language to Spanish students at St. Rose and St. Raphael grade schools. In 2004, retired from salaried ministries and engaged in outreach ministries to the poor joining ‘Food for the Hungry”. Sr. Joan will always be remembered for her unwavering love and service of the poor.
In her free time, she loved to play cards and Sheepshead was her favorite game. She loved to go to the Senior Center in Oshkosh and so she made many friends there. This was evident as many came to pay their last respects at her Homecoming and funeral.
Sr. Mary Joan was preceded in death by her parents and four of her siblings: Diane Riemer, Marcella Pier, Laverne Starr and Sr. M. Roseann Koskie. Sister Mary Joan is survived by her sister, Mary Williams. Homecoming was held on May 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at SSM Franciscan Courts, Oshkosh, WI. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on June 1, 2024, at 10:30am at SSM Franciscan Courts with Father Bill Hower officiating. Burial took place at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Oshkosh, WI.
Submitted by Sr. Judith Marie Beck