Lifetime as a Sister of St. Francis were ‘years of love’
Sister M. Jeanette Joaquin, a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities who spent decades teaching elementary school before serving in Hawaii parishes and in other ministries, died Sept. 12 at St. Francis Convent in Honolulu after a lengthy illness.
She was 91 and a religious sister for 68 years.
In 2010, on the occasion of her 60th anniversary of her entrance into the convent, she wrote, “Being a Sister of St. Francis has been years of love, support and care in all the ministries assigned to me. It has been many years of pleasure working in his vineyard.”
Sister Jeanette was born Cecilia Joaquin at Schofield Barracks on Aug. 29, 1927, to the late Gumersindo and Filomena Barnacha Joaquin.
She attended Leilehua High School and St. Francis Convent School before entering the Sisters of St. Francis in 1950. She made her perpetual vows in 1955.
Sister Jeanette earned a bachelor’s degree at Chaminade College of Honolulu.
After two years of catechetical work, Sister Jeanette devoted the next 25 years teaching in elementary schools in New Jersey, New York and Hawaii where she was on the faculty of Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina; Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Pearl City; and St. Francis School, Honolulu.
In her final 21 years of active ministry, she was engaged in parish, pastoral and religious education ministries at St. Theresa Parish (now the co-cathedral), the Diocesan Office of Filipino Ministry, the Molokai Catholic Community, St. George Parish, Waimanalo, St. Francis Healthcare System and as a volunteer at the Kukui Gardens Community Center.
Sister Jeannette gained a reputation as an excellent Oahu tour guide and she enjoyed cooking, photography, acrylic painting and adult coloring pages. She also would often drop by the offices of the Hawaii Catholic Herald to pick up extra copies to distribute.
Sister was predeceased by her parents; her brothers Amador (Helen) and Guillermo Joaquin; sister Francisca (Raymond) Palomares; brother-in-law George Repetti and niece Maile Repetti (John) Rogers. She is survived by a sister Angelina Repetti; sister-in-law Dominga (Minga) Joaquin; several great nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Francis.
Funeral services were celebrated Sept. 22 at St. Francis Convent with inurnment at Diamond Head Memorial Park.
Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, attn: Sister William Marie Eleniki, 2715 Pamoa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822.
