75-Year Jubilarians
Sister Anne Bohner
(formerly Sister Magdala)
75 Years
Sister Anne entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on June 30, 1934, from St. Bernard Parish in Detroit. She enjoyed fifty-five years of teaching in elementary, high school and college classrooms, instilling in her students the importance of learning the subject matter while retaining an enthusiasm for learning. Energized by new challenges, she learned German and was able to travel to the homeland she left at the age of three. In 1992 Sister Anne returned to Nazareth and worked in the History Room. Presently at Borgess Nursing Home, Sister Anne’s is a ministry of prayer and presence, meeting and greeting residents.
Sister Anne Cooke
(formerly Sister Vincent Marie)
75 Years
Sister Anne entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on June 16, 1934, from St. Benedict Parish in Highland Park. Sister Anne ministered for thirty-four years in Catholic schools as teacher and principal. In the 1970’s Sister Anne transitioned to parish ministry and enjoyed the new challenges of preparing lay people for their role in Church ministry. She wrote many articles to help teachers of religious education including the book, Lifelines for Religion Teachers. After sixty years of active ministry Sister Anne retired to Nazareth where she has more time to devote to prayer, reflection, socializing, writing and reading.
Sister Aquinata Hamilton
75 Years Sister Aquinata entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on January 6, 1934, from St. Mary Parish in Jackson, Michigan. Sister Aquinata taught in high schools in Detroit, St. Clair Shores, Royal Oak and Hastings. She was principal in Flint where she established the Five Talents program, linking graduating students with creative officials at General Motors in Flint. Other ministries includied teaching at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and as periodical librarian at St. Mary College, Orchard Lake. For eleven years she served at the Adult Learning Center in Port Huron and then retired to Nazareth in 2002. She shares her peaceful heart, listening ear and gentle supportive regard for the residents and care-givers at Borgess Nursing Home where she resides.
Sister Angela LaBranche
75 Years
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.
Sister Ann Laffan
(formerly Sister Michaeline)
75 Years
Sister Ann entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Patrick Parish in Chicago on October 21, 1934. Her early teaching ministries were to junior high and high school students at Sts. Rita, Augustine and Gertrude schools and as principal at St. Agnes. Following four years as a counselor at Southfield Lathrop High School, Sister Ann spent twelve years in Honolulu where she taught English in a small business college. In 1998 Sister Ann retired to Nazareth and continues to live there, teaching Centering Prayer to a few lay people in the Kalamazoo community.
Sister Marie Walter Page
75 Years
Sister Marie Walter entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Ecorse, Michigan, on June 16, 1934. For thirty years she ministered in education at the elementary and middle school levels. Nearly twenty-six years of teaching, psychological service and preparing the boys for Sunday liturgy at St. Francis Home for Boys in Detroit followed. Now residing at Borgess Nursing Home, Sister Marie Walter treasures her years of ministry in the metro Detroit area and throughout Michigan.
Sister Irene Pieper
(formerly Sister Matthew)
75 Years
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.
60-Year Jubilarians
Sister Marie Ursula Antczak
60 Years
Sister Marie Ursula entered the congregation July 1, 1949, from St. Joseph Parish, Irish Hills, Michigan. Sister Marie Ursula has found teaching children in the early elementary grades a tremendous source of joy. She has served at St. Bernard, Detroit; St. Gertrude, St. Clair Shores; St. Agnes, Flint; Sacred Heart, Birch Run; Immaculate Conception, Three Rivers; and for many years at St. Rose of Lima, Hastings. At St. Rose Sister Marie Ursula’s ministry has adapted to the needs of the parish. Besides teaching religious education to first graders, she is a lector for liturgy and a Eucharistic minister for the sick and homebound. Her faithful dog Joey accompanies her to nursing homes, providing therapy and joy for the residents.
Sister Geraldine Arnold
(formerly Sister Laurice)
60 Years
Sister Geraldine entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Ecorse, Michigan on July 1, 1949. She began her teaching ministry at St. Francis Home for Boys in Detroit, and her teaching years took her all over Michigan-Highland Park, Flint, Urbandale, Allegan, Roseville, Warren, Mt. Clemens, St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe, and Barbour Hall, Nazareth. Sister Geraldine also team-ministered with Sister Mary Ann Ankoviak in Faith Formation for twenty years at Selfridge Air National Guard Base on week-ends and evenings. Although her active ministry ended at St. Veronica Parish in June 2005, Sister Geraldine continues to volunteer in parish ministry in beautiful Algonac, Michigan.
Sister Mary Choiniere
(formerly Sister Genevieve Marie)
60 Years
Sister Mary entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Philip Neri Parish in Detroit on January 2, 1949. Sister Mary taught school for sixteen years, followed by twenty-eight years of ministry as the Associate Superintendent of School for the Archdiocese of Detroit. At that time she also was asked to administer the Office for Persons with Disabilities for three months. Thirty-two years later Sister Mary continues to minister to and love them. Presently Pastoral Associate at St. Alan Parish in Troy, Sister Mary finds ministry to the sick, the dying and the bereaved a privilege.
Sister Merlyn-Anne Nelson
(formerly Sister Rose Gemma)
60 Years
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.
Sister Kathlene O’Donnell
(formerly Sister Joseph Ellen)
60 Years
Sister Kathlene entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on July 1, 1949 from St. Philip Neri Parish in Detroit. The primary and secondary education at St. Philip Neri, as mirrored by her Sisters of St. Joseph mentors, instilled in Sister Kathlene a love of teaching. For thirty-four years she was a teacher and an administrator, and loved it. C.P.E. training prepared Sister Kathlene for the ministry of hospital chaplain, first at St. Mary Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota and then for nine and a half years at St. Joseph Hospital in Flint. Upon retiring to Nazareth, Sister Kathlene’s ministries have included pastoral care to the sisters in Fontbonne, switchboard operator, or willing volunteer when called upon.
Sister Marilyn Sullivan
Formerly Sister Stephen Therese
60 Years
Sister Marilyn entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Augustine Parish in Kalamazoo, Michigan on July 1, 1949. Her ministry for twenty-five years was in all levels of education as well as religious education in Kalamazoo, Flint and Detroit. Sister Marilyn’s second ministry was as secretary of the congregation. It was during that time that the History Room was established and her love for history deepened. In 1984, Sister Marilyn surfaced a desire to work in jails and began a third ministry, jail ministry. Today Sister Marilyn continues her ministry as archivist and curator of the Nazareth History Room, preserving for future generations the rich heritage of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth.
50-Year Jubilarians
Sister Yvonne Bechard
50 Years
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.
Sister Rose Cadaret
(formerly Sister Rachelle)
50 Years
Sister Rose entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Guardian Angels Parish in Detroit on September 1, 1959. She spent twenty-two years in Southwest Detroit ministering in various capacities, as a first grade teacher, a high school counselor, an adult education teacher, an administrator for the local community organization and a pastoral minister, as well as academic director at St. Francis Home for Boys for three years. Several years of ministry in Southeast Detroit included working at St. Rose Parish and at Groundwork for a Just World. Sister Rose loved Detroit and the variety of multi-cultural opportunities. Presently Sister Rose lives and works with homeless women at Bethany House in Kalamazoo.
Sister Geneva Kruger
50 Years
Sister Geneva entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 1, 1959 from St. Philip Parish in Battle Creek, Michigan. Sister Geneva hoped to become a nurse but instead spent the first years of ministry as a teacher. She then became a registered medical librarian and lived and worked at St. John Hospital in Detroit. Feeling called to a greater involvement in ministry to the sick, Sister Geneva took C.P.E. training and became a chaplain at Borgess Medical Center, serving there for fifteen years. Now retired, Sister Geneva provides backup to assist with appointment driving for the sisters at Nazareth and Fontbonne.
Sister Gertrude Maurer
(formerly Sister Germaine)
50 Years
Sister Gertrude entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Cyril Parish in Nashville, Michigan on September 1, 1959. Throughout her various ministries in the congregation—in education at St. Patrick’s-Croswell, St. Agnes-Flint, and Nazareth College, during doctoral work at Notre Dame, in advocacy at Groundwork for a Just World, as spiritual director at the Centre for Spiritual Renewal in Ghana and now at Transformations, with interim work in adult spiritual and pastoral formation for the congregation and at St. Monica in Kalamazoo, Sister Gertrude is drawn to the Word and is grateful for the challenge, encouragement and support of her family and sisters in the congregation.
Sister Mary Catherine Pruente
(formerly Sister Mary Vincine)
50 Years
Sister Mary Catherine entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Michael Parish in Pontiac, Michigan on September 1, 1959. As she reflected on her years of ministry, Sister Mary Catherine shared the joy and anticipation she experiences, whether in the kitchen preparing a meal, at Fontbonne, caring for the sisters, or behind the wheel taking sisters to appointments or shopping. She finds these trips a real gift of presence to the sisters. Sister Mary Catherine has a great love for the Mass and looks forward to praying with the community.
Sister Mary Reichling
(formerly Sister Mary Franz)
50 Years
Sister Mary entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Philip Neri Parish in Detroit on September 1, 1959. Sister Mary loved piano and auditioned for a Nazareth College music scholarship as a high school senior. Early missions included St. Margaret in Otsego, St. Elizabeth in Wyandotte and Holy Family in Grand Blanc. In Grand Blanc the children’s chorus performed on TV and for Maria von Trapp of Sound of Music fame. Sister Mary has fond memories of her years at Nazareth and of teaching at Nazareth College, prior to its closing. After completion of her doctorate, Sister Mary began university teaching in Louisiana where she continues today.
Sister Nina Rodriguez
50 Years
Sister Nina entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Ste. 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.
