Sister Angela entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on January 29, 1934, from St. Mary Parish in Flint, Michigan. After using degrees in the education field for teaching, administering, establishing new schools and guiding teachers, Sister Angela undertook leadership of the diocesan religious education program to certify teachers of religion in the Lansing diocese. Those ten years were followed by gerontology preparation for ministry with the sister residents at Fontbonne and then back to Detroit, as a volunteer with the RSVP program providing in-home respite care and with educational efforts for a Literacy Program on the east side of Detroit.
Sr. Yvonne Bechard 50 year Jubilarian
Sister Yvonne was born in Windsor, Ontario Canada. She grew up in the Detroit area and attended Catholic schools most of her life. Sister Yvonne entered the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in Montreal, Canada, on August 5, 1959 from St. Francis Cabrini Parish in Allen Park, Michigan. From 1961 to 1984 she taught at St. Gerard in Detroit, St. Lucy and St. Joan of Arc in St. Clair Shores, O’Hara Catholic School in Eugene, Oregon and St. Gerard in Lansing. In June 1984 Sister Yvonne was incorporated into the Sisters of St. Joseph. She then returned to teach at St. Gerard in Lansing, St. Veronica in Eastpointe and St. Paul on the Lake in Grosse Pointe Farms. In 2007 Sister Yvonne retired from full time teaching. Presently she is a Pre-K teacher assistant and teaches religion daily at St. Anne in Warren.
Sr. Irene Pieper
(formerly Sr. Matthew) 75 year Jubilarian
Sister Irene entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Theresa Parish in Mitchell, Nebraska. Sister Irene wanted to be a nurse but became a primary and then a secondary school teacher, serving fifty-three years in various schools throughout Michigan. In 1975 she moved to Hawaii where she taught with the Maryknoll Sisters in Honolulu. In 1989 Sister Irene returned to the mainland and to Nazareth where Holy Family Chapel became her ministry and her gift.
Sr. Merlyn-Anne Nelson
(formerly Sr. Rose Gemma) 60 Year Jubilarian
Sister Merlyn-Anne entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Rita Parish in Detroit on July 1, 1949. Music was Sister Merlyn-Anne’s gift. She taught music and religious education in many places, including thirteen years teaching classroom music for the Detroit School System. After coming home to Nazareth, Sister Merlyn-Anne played daily at mass and at local nursing homes and area churches. Now residing at Borgess Nursing Home, Sister Meryln-Anne reflects on her life as a Sister of St. Joseph and the grace and blessings of these sixty years.
Sr. Nina Rodriguez 50 year Jubilarian
Sister Nina entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Anne Parish in Detroit on September 1, 1959. She grew up in the inner city of Detroit and knew at an early age that she wanted to be a missionary. After her early ministry of teaching, Sister Nina was commissioned to go to Peru. In all her ministries, doing teaching, or pastoral work with youth or senior citizens, or catechetical work with parents or children, especially in the Hispanic community, Sister Nina has sensed how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love truly is.
Sr. Leorita Ryder SSJ
The 2nd principal of SJA school celebrated her 100th birthday on March 28, 2010. She was principal from 1953-1959. She currently lives in retirement at the Sisters of St. Joseph retirement facility in Nazareth, MI. St. Joan students each made a card and they sent a large box to her as a surprise. She responded with a kind letter, and in it she says, "I remember when I was at St. Joan's. We had about 1500 students at that time...It even climbed to 2000 a few years later. We had grades Kdgn. to 8th grade. You have a great school. Be proud of it."
