Sr. Therese Joyce, OSF

BORN:                       Katherine Rita Joyce on August 10, 1919 in County Galway, Ireland

DIED:                         October 9, 2023 at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Allegany, NY.

DAUGHTER OF:      Peter and Mary McDonnell Joyce, Dorchester, MA.

Sr. Therese entered the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany on August 14, 1940, was received into the Congregation on August 15, 1941, and professed her final vows on August 16, 1948.  Committed to the Franciscan charism, Sister lived for 83 years as a devoted member of the Allegany Franciscan Sisters sharing her life in community and ministry.

Therese attended St. Patrick’s and St. John’s Schools and graduated from Roxbury Memorial, all located in Roxbury, MA.  She attended Mt. St. Joseph’s Teacher’s College, Buffalo, NY; St. Elizabeth Teacher’s College, Allegany, NY and Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with a concentration in English and a minor in History.  She pursued graduate studies at Glassboro State, Glassboro, NY; Mt. St. Cloud State College, St. Cloud, MN and Marywood College, Scranton, PA, graduating with a Master of Science Degree in Library Science.

Sr. Therese’s ministry in education includes teaching in Congregational Schools, St. Margaret’s in Winsted, CT, Christ the King in Haddonfield, NJ and Assumption in Pamona, NY, where she also served as Principal and Superior of the Convent.

Her career as a librarian began at St. Mary’s of the Angels Academy in Haddonfield, NJ and included St. John’s the Baptist in West Islip, NY where she was the Department Chairperson of the Library for 20 years.  In 2006, after serving Congregational Schools for 66 years, Therese retired and was warmly welcomed home to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Allegany, NY.

Retirement certainly didn’t slow Therese down, as her daily schedule included a thorough front to back reading of several newspapers, a full day of activities at the Motherhouse, taking time to write a note of gratitude, send birthday wishes, complete word puzzles, opening and responding to personal mail and of course, praying.  Therese loved her God, the Blessed Mother, her community, family and friends.  She will be greatly missed and remembered lovingly by everyone blessed to have known her.  Therese’s soft, tender smile and keen wit was a ray of sunshine to all.

Therese is predeceased by her parents, Peter and Mary McDonnell Joyce; Sisters: Sr. M. Francis Joyce, a Franciscan Sister of Allegany, Margaret “Peggy” Joyce, and Patricia (John) Boutilier, her brothers James M. Joyce and John J. “Joe” (Dianne) Joyce; nephew James M. Joyce Jr.; nieces Dianne Kaemmerer and Donna Dininno; grandnephew Travis Kemmerer, nephews-in-law Joseph Nunes, David Dininno and cousin Thomas Joyce.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Evelyn (James) Joyce; nieces Patricia Nunes, Dorothy (Jim) Sorocco, Carol (Michael) Micciche, Evelyn (Michael) DeMartino and Denise Joyce; nephews John F. (Karen) Joyce and John P. (Brittany Simmons) Joyce; and by very special cousins, Bette Joyce, Fr. Peter Joyce, Paul Joyce, Maryellen Joyce and Austin Joyce.

Sr. Therese also is survived by many special grandnephews, grandnieces, great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces.

A wake service is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18^th at 4:00PM in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 19^th, at 10:00AM in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse with Fr. Peter Joyce, presiding.  Burial will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the direction of Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc. 646 East State Street, Olean, New York. For condolences, please visit www.letromcintoshspinkfuneralhome.com.

Women of Hope Embracing All Creation  ◊  Serving God’s People in the United States, Jamaica, Brazil, Bolivia and Mozambique

Street Address: 115 East Main Street, Allegany, NY 14706-1318 ◊ 716-373-02 00 ◊ Fax 716-372-5774

www.alleganyfranciscans.org