Sr. Joanne Gibbons, CSJ, 85, died Aug. 29. Born in Detroit on Feb. 25, 1930, the daughter of John and Clara (Nolta) Gibbons, she attended St. James in Ferndale at the time of her entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph at Nazareth on Jan. 2, 1947. She received the name Sr. Mary Jogues at her reception July 2, 1947, but later returned to the use of her baptismal name.  She pronounced first vows July 2, 1949, and final vows July 2, 1952.

Sr. Gibbons received degrees from Nazareth College and St. Mary, Notre Dame/St. Xavier in Chicago.

For 60 years, Sr. Gibbons ministered in schools and in parish religious education programs in Michigan, Tennessee and California. She taught at St. Francis Home, St. Anne, St. Christopher, St. Cyril, St. Joan of Arc, and was superior/principal at St. Dennis, all in the Archdiocese of Detroit. She returned to Nazareth Center in March 2011, volunteering in the history room/archives.

A Mass of Christian Burial was to be celebrated for Sr. Gibbons on Sept. 2 at Holy Family Chapel in Nazareth.