Remembering Sr. Joanne Zielinski, DW, Sr. Edward Marie of the Immaculate 5/20/38 - 4/30/24

Friends of Wisdom, we are saddened to report the passing of Sr. Joanne Zielinski, DW, 85 (Sr. Edward Marie of the Immaculate) on April 30, 2024. Sister was 66 years professed. She passed peacefully while at Good Sheperd Hospice in Port Jefferson, NY, where she was comforted in her final days and hours by Sisters, staff, and her dear friend Lisa Paulsen.

After profession in February 1958, Sr. Joanne began her ministry as an OR technician at St. Charles Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. In 1959, she entered Maryview Hospital School of Nursing in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she became a registered nurse. She worked in the operating and emergency rooms and as an assistant head nurse until 1969. She was then off to Washington, DC, where she worked as a staff nurse at Providence Hospital while attending St. Joseph’s College to earn her BS in nursing. After working for a few years with the Visiting Nurses Association of Washington DC, she relocated to Omaha, Nebraska, in 1972, joining the Visiting Nurses Association there and serving until 1979. She later earned a pastoral ministry (MA) degree from Boston College in Massachusetts and worked in campus ministry from 1979 until 1994 at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She then relocated back to the state of Nebraska, where she was united with her family and was able to help in the care of her aging parents. In later years, she was also able to help in the care of her younger sister, Cecile Marie. She continued her ministry as a chaplain at Creighton University and in Creighton University Hospital until her retirement in 2018.  In 2022, her dear friends Kathleen Lighthart and Lisa Paulsen of Omaha, Nebraska, helped Sister relocate to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent in Sound Beach, NY.

Sr. Joanne's love for animals, especially dogs, was a significant part of her life. She shared that she often found solace and companionship in her 'best bud,' Dolly, a Bouvier des Flandres. Dolly was more than just a pet; she was a protector, providing Sr. Joanne with a sense of security. At Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent, she found comfort in Essa, the Convent’s service companion. Sr. Joanne's love for animals was a reflection of her kind and nurturing nature, and it will be a cherished part of her legacy.

Sister was the beloved daughter of the late Edward, Anna, and stepmother Kathryn, and a loving sister to the late Kathleen, the late Dr. Cecile Marie, and the late Edward (Carol Ann). Sr. Joanne is survived by her sister-in-law, Carol Ann Newman, and three nephews, Edward, Peter, and Daniel Zielinski.

Arrangements for Sr. Joanne’s wake and funeral are as follows: Wake and Prayer Service: Monday, May 6, 2:00 - 5:00 pm, Prayer Service at 3:00 pm, Moloney’s Port Jefferson Station Funeral Home, 523 NY-112, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776.  Funeral Mass: Tuesday, May 7, 11:30 a.m., St. Louis de Montfort Church, 75 New York Avenue, Sound Beach, NY 11789.

Donations in Sr. Joanne's memory can be made to https://secure.etransfer.com/eft/flexblockcode/donation1.cfm?d2org=DaughtersofWisdom&d2tool=donate