Sister Mary Joan Phillips

Sr. Mary Joan Phillips, age 94 years, died on July 21, 2021, at Ascension Mercy Hospital, Oshkosh, WI. Visitation will be held from 1:00pm-2:00pm on Monday, August 2, 2021 at the Mankato Mortuary. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Mankato.

Sr. Mary Joan was born in Waterloo, Iowa on September 4, 1926. She was the second of six children born to Mary Catherine Schmitz and Theodore Phillips. She was baptized Theresa Marie.

She entered the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother on October 15, 1945 and received the name Sister Mary Joan when she received the religious habit on August 12, 1946. Sister professed her final vows on August 12, 1951 in Milwaukee, WI. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee on September 1, 1973 and her Golden Jubilee on September 1, 1995 both in Denville, NJ. She celebrated her 60^th Jubilee on September 21, 2008 in Oshkosh, WI, and her 70^th Jubilee on August 12, 2018.

After first vows she was asked to teach for “one year” which grew into a teaching career of 47 years. She taught in Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Jersey. She was the principal of St. Mary’s School, Denville, NJ from 1966-1995. Upon retiring from education in 1995, she began a new ministry in the Pastoral Care Department at Saint Clare Hospital, Denville, NJ (1995-2018). Sister retired to SSM Franciscan Courts, Oshkosh, WI on February 4, 2020.

Sister was known for her endless energy, fast walk wherever she went and the hospitality she offered everyone.

Sister is preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Eldred (Mary), Norbert (Matilda), Joseph, Neal (Darlene). She is survived by her sister, Marilyn (Donald) Sieberg; sister-in-law, Martha Phillips, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Homecoming will be on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, at 4pm at SSM Franciscan Courts, Oshkosh, WI. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10:30 am at SSM Franciscan Courts, Oshkosh, WI. Rev. William Hower will be the presider.