Sr. Joan Gagner, CSJ, entered eternal life July 30. She was 96.

Joan Gagner was born in Detroit on Nov. 20, 1919, to Frederick and Pauline (Mazurowski) Gagner. She was a member of St. Bernard Parish in Detroit at the time of her entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth on June 19, 1937. She received the name Sr. Charles Marie at her reception Jan. 7, 1938, later returning to her baptismal name. She pronounced first vows Jan. 8, 1940, and final vows on Jan. 8, 1943.

Sr. Gagner earned degrees from Nazareth College and the University of Detroit. She ministered for 47 in education, including at St. Benedict, Highland Park; St. John Vianney, Flint; St. Ambrose, Parchment; and St. Anthony, Hillsdale. From 1979-87 she was religious education coordinator at St. Martin Church in Vicksburg, retiring in 1987 to become a pastoral minister at Fontbonne Manor in Nazareth.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Aug. 3 at Holy Family Chapel in Nazareth.