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Sister Joan Bourdon, SNJM
(Sister Mary Joseph Anthony)
May 1, 1933 – September 1, 2024
Sister Joan Bourdon, SNJM departed this life on September 1, 2024 at Saratoga Retirement Center in Saratoga, California.
Sister Joan celebrated 91 years of life and 70 years of her religious profession.
A Mass of Resurrection was held Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Chapel in Campbell, Califorina.
Burial will take place at a later date at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California.
Please join us in prayers of thanksgiving for the life of Sister Joan Bourdon. Joan had celebrated her 70th jubilee this summer and she was 91 years old.
Joan was a life-long educator. In her early years she served in both northern and southern California as a beloved elementary teacher and later as a principal. In the Oakland Diocese she served as principal at St Augustine’s, St Mary’s and at Assumption. She was known for being gentle and kind with the children. She also supported faculty and staff as a mentor and role model. It is not uncommon to hear stories of gratitude from her days in formal education from her coworkers and students. After leaving formal education she served at Villa Maria Del Mar as a hostess and a sought out Spiritual Director for almost twenty years. She is remembered for the warmth of her hospitality, her ability to create community, for her encouraging presence and for her wisdom as a director.
Joan loved nature, people, retreats and spirituality, travel, the gift of a dinner with a friend and a good book. She was known for her warm smile, her gentle sense of humor, faithful friendship and for her gift of encouraging others. She was devoted to our congregation and shared her talents and energy to make life in community joyful for those with whom she lived. She will be remembered as empathetic, kind, supportive and humble. She had several sayings which guided her life, two examples are: “Just to be is a blessing, just to live is holy” and “Love is my journey’s name.” God was the center of her life, and she deeply believed in the promises made by our God. May her memory be blessed.