Sister Joan Kirkpatrick (formerly Sister Joan Patrice)

Sister Joan Kirkpatrick, formerly Sister Joan Patrice, passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. She was 92-years-old and had been a Sister of Providence for 69 years.

Commentary

By Sister Joanne Golding, SP

“Be silent, be still, alone. / Empty before your God. / Say nothing, ask nothing. / Be silent, Be still. / Let your God look upon you. / That is all. / God knows and understands. God loves you with an enormous love, Wanting only to look upon you with Love. / Quiet. / Still. Be. Let your God love you —”

This was Joan’s favorite prayer, and she requested it be read at her funeral.

Joan Claire Kirkpatrick was born June 1, 1933, to John and Claire Steinbrunder Kirkpatrick in Walsenburg, Colorado. Joan was the second of four children. Her brother, John (called Jack by the family) was 18 months older than Joan. Because they were born so close together, they were each other’s best friends growing up and would remain close until Jack’s death a number of years ago. Five years after Joan’s birth, their brother Rob was born. Joan’s youngest sister, Lynn, didn’t make her appearance for another 11 years. Now, the family was complete.

Due to her father’s work, the family moved frequently. In fact, Joan would talk about the move from Walsenburg to northern California. Her father had gone ahead to find a place for his family. Her mother followed by driving from Walsenburg to northern California with three children under 8 years of age and the family dog.

Now think about it. This is 1939 and automatic transmission and air conditioning were a future dream as well as power steering. Seat belts had not been invented and there were no highways, only two-lane country roads and city streets. Oh, and did I mention, the dog was pregnant? Thankfully, the dog was very cooperative and didn’t have her puppies until they got to California.

By the time Joan was a senior in high school, the family was on the move again; this time to Cleveland, Ohio. Joan attended and graduated from the local public school. Her mother knew of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Joan entered the college in the fall of 1951. By 1955, when Joan graduated from college, her family had returned to California.

Joan admits that The Hound of Heaven was already snapping at her heels when she graduated, but she fought against it. Instead, she returned to California to teach at a Sisters of Mercy High School. God’s call got louder and louder. Finally, she gave in and decided to enter a convent. But which one? For 11 years, she was educated by the Sisters of Mercy. Their motherhouse was roughly one mile from her home.

But there were the Sisters of Providence back in Indiana. Being young and adventurous, Joan made the logical decision to enter the Sisters of Providence, 2,000 miles away. We are sure glad she did.

You can tell times have changed since 1956. Joan took the “red eye” from California to Chicago. Now here is the problem. It was a Saturday night red eye. Therefore, she had to get to Mass in Chicago. This was before Vatican II and to miss Sunday Mass was a mortal sin or “morty” as we called them. Not a good way to enter the convent.

She asked one of the attendants at the ticket counter if there was a Catholic Church near O’Hare. The attendant made arrangements for Joan to take one of the employees’ buses across O’Hare field. It dropped her near a break in the fence. She slipped through the fence and there was a Catholic Church across the street. They even picked her up after Mass and took her back to the airport.

Joan and I entered the Sisters of Providence about 10 minutes apart on July 22, 1956. Now in those days, that meant we would spend the next four-and-a-half years sitting next to each other for instructions three times a week. We were 30 entering on that day. Now, there are only three of us left.

Because Joan had already earned her degree, she found herself teaching the aspirants and commercial girls until January 1961, when we finally got to go on mission.

Joan’s first assignment was Providence High School in Chicago. Since she was a math major, she thought she would teach math. No, she found herself assigned to teach religion and physics. She was also assigned as sacristan. In those days, we thought we could do anything with nothing forever. And we did.

Joan told the story of Holy Saturday. When she went into the sacristy that morning, she found that the handle had broken off one of the cruets. Being a dutiful sister, she got some glue and glued the handle back on. This was the beginning of a downhill slide. She got everything ready and really didn’t think about it.

Come evening, the priest arrived for Holy Saturday Mass. Again, this is pre-Vatican II. It was not the regular priest, but one they did not know. Joan had prepared an old coffee can with charcoal for the fire in the back of the convent chapel. All was going well, but when the priest finished, he put the fire on the table in the back of the church and proceeded up the aisle.

Almost immediately, they began to smell smoke. Sure enough, the linen cloth on the table was catching fire. Joan quickly put it out. By this time, the priest has arrived in the sanctuary and is trying to fit the Pascal candle into the holder. It doesn’t fit. The candle is too large.

After a couple of attempts, the priest is able to jam the candle into the holder at about a 30-degree angle. The service continues. Time has arrived to incense the candle and the altar boy is holding the capula or cape for the priest to put on when the candle falls to the floor and breaks in two.

At this point, the nuns are about to burst out laughing and the priest is getting angry. He picks up the top half of the candle and again forces it into the holder. The poor altar boy is still standing there, arms raised, holding the heavy cape. His arms are about ready to break. The nuns are still trying to control their laughter.

Everything settles down for a while and Mass proceeds. Father comes to the part where water is added to the win. He reaches over for the water, and, you guessed it, the glued handle comes unglued and he is left holding only the handle. I don’t think Joan was ever again a sacristan.

Joan would go to graduate school twice. First to earn a master’s degree in finance for non-profits at Notre Dame. She spent many years as high school financial officer. Maybe the most important of these was at Marywood, Orange (California), where she was the eyes and voice of Sister Margaret Kern during the suit against the builders. Thanks to Joan and her work, we won the suit.

Joan ministered most of her life in California. She was teacher and/or Chief Financial Officer of seven different high schools, including Marywood, Orange. She returned to Indiana as the Sacred Heart Province Treasurer from 1974-82. She then went back to California.

After getting her master’s in Family Counseling, she spent the last 10 years of her ministry working in New Albany, Indiana. In 2003, the funding for her position was not renewed. Joan was then 70-years-old and decided to take some time off to catch up with friends and family.

She and her beloved dog, Elvis, drove more than 5,000 miles that year, spending time with family and renewing old friendships. That year terminated in Joan and Elvis moving with me on 10th Street in Terre Haute. At the time, I heard the band was taking bets on how long it would last. It lasted 22 years.

Joan continued to work in Ministry of Care at the Woods. If you haven’t heard, we don’t retire — we recycle. In 2017, Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. She was said to be cancer free.

A woman of many talents, Joan used them in the service of others. A woman of deep prayer and love. Whenever someone needed something she figured out a way to help. She was very serious about her spiritual life and her vows. I used to tease her that when she spent a nickel, the buffalo cried.

When earlier this year, Joan heard the cancer was back, she remarked “I have had a good life. I am ready to move on.” And she was ready.

Joan, it is time to say farewell until we meet again. Remember, our agreement. We will meet on the Rainbow Bridge, collect Elvis, Duke and CoCo, as well as Dismas, Bubba and Teddy. Then, we will find a cabin on a river where we will all praise our God for all eternity.

So, until we meet again, friend, know that we loved you and will miss you.

“Be silent, be still, alone. / Empty before your God. / Say nothing, ask nothing. / Be silent. Be still. / Let your God look upon you. / That is all. / God know and understands. God loves you with an enormous love, Wanting only to look upon you with Love. / Quiet. / Still. Be. Let your god love you —“

Funeral Information

Services for Sister Joan took place on Tuesday, July 15, and Wednesday, July 16, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

A Wake took p lace from 2:30-4:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 15. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, July 16.

Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Sister Joan to the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

We welcome you to share your memories of Sister Joan in the comment section below.

Sister Joan Kirkpatrick (formerly Sister Joan Patrice)

Complete Ministry

In Indiana: Teacher, Aspirancy, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (1959-61); Treasurer/Business Manager for Motherhouse Operations, Sacred Heart Province, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (1974-82); Counselor, Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries, New Albany (1998-2003); Assistant to Ministry of Care Administrator, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2004-2013); Personal Needs Coordinator, Ministry of Care, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2013-21); Volunteer, Ministry of Care, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2021); Prayer, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2022-2025).

In Illinois: Teacher, Providence High School, Chicago (1961-64).

In California: Teacher, Marywood, Orange (1964); Teacher, Marywood, Orange (1965-68); Superior, Marywood, Orange (1968-69); Provincial Treasurer/Teacher, Marywood, Orange (1969-73); Business Office/Provincial Treasurer, Marywood, Orange (1973-74); Business Officer, Notre Dame, Riverside (1983-84); Business Officer/Provincial Councilor, Notre Dame, Riverside (1984-86); Business Officer, Santa Marguarita, Rancho Santa Margarita (1987-1990); Tribunal Secretary, Diocese of San Francisco, San Francisco (1990-91); Psychotherapist Intern, Adult and Child Guidance Center, San Jose and Los Gatos (1994-96); Psychotherapist Intern, Associated Counselors, San Jose (1996-98).