Sr. Therese Joyce

Sr. Therese Joyce, OSF

ALLEGANY - Sr. Therese Joyce, OSF, passed away Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, at St. Elizabeth Mother-house.

She was born Aug. 10, 1919, in County Galway, Ireland, the daughter of Peter and Mary McDonnell Joyce.

Sr. Therese entered the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany on Aug. 14, 1940; was received into the Congregation on Aug. 15, 1941; and professed her final vows on Aug. 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, Mass. She attended Mt. St. Joseph's Teacher's College, Buffalo; St. Elizabeth Teacher's College, Allegany and Nazareth College in Rochester, 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; Mt. St. Cloud State College, St. Cloud, Minn.; 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, Conn., Christ the King in Haddonfield, N.J. and Assumption in Pamona, 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, and included St. John's the Baptist in West Islip, 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.

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.

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 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.

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; 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 and David Dininno; and cousin Thomas Joyce.

A wake service is scheduled for 4 p.m. today (Oct. 18, 2023) in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 19, 2023) 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 E. State St., Olean.

For condolences, please visit www.letromcintoshspinkfuneralhome.com.