Sr. Mary Joan Kane

Dominican Sister of Peace Mary Joan Kane died on March 26, 2020, at the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH. Born in 1928 in Philadelphia, PA, she was one of Anna Harris’ and John Kane’s large family of 10 children. Sr. Joan entered the Congregation in 1949.

Sr. Joan began her service at the Dominican Retreat House in Schenectady, NY. Retreat ministry obviously agreed with her, because she went on to serve at Dominican Retreat Houses in Elkins Park, PA; Albuquerque, NM; Philadelphia, PA, and Dover, MA.

Sr. Joan was generous and sociable to her Sisters and to the many that she served at the Dominican retreats. She was also a good listener, a fine and resourceful cook, and could pull a delicious meal together on a moment’s notice – all important skills for a retreat minister.

In 1992, Sister Joan took a sabbatical and earned a Certificate in Spirituality from the Spiritual Life Center in Dover, MA, in order to better meet the needs of the retreatants she loved so well. While at the St. Catherine House at Elkins Park, she served the Sisters of her community by driving them to appointments and visiting those who were ill or in the hospital.

Sr. Joan also served at St. Alice Convent in Upper Darby, PA, and in Quakertown, PA.

In 2018, Sister Joan entered a ministry of Prayer and Presence at the Congregation’s Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH.

Joan had a great love for her many nieces and nephews and talked about them frequently. She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Anna Harris Kane, her brothers John, Jr., Joseph and Harry, her sisters Catherine Cassidy, Helen Gehringer, Elizabeth Serrierson and Anna O’Connor.  She is survived by her sister, Harriet Malin, and nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be held for Sister Joan on Saturday August 8th at St. Joseph's Church, Aston, PA. Religious, friends, and family may call after 10 a.m., with the mass beginning at 11 a.m.. Burial will follow at SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery.  Memorial gifts in Sr. Joan’s memory may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Mission Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr.

Arrangements by Shaeff-Myers Funeral Home, Ambler.