Sister Joan Tousignant, O.S.F.
EAST PEORIA, IL-Sister Joan Tousignant, 89, a member of The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, died Friday, December 20, 2024 at the Motherhouse in East Peoria, IL.
She was born on May 11, 1935 in Marquette to Arthur and Dorothy Tousignant. Sister entered the convent on November 7, 1952 in Peoria, IL. She attended Northern Michigan University where she received her LPN, then went on to receive a Bachelor of Social Work at St. Mary College in Leavenworth, KS.
During her 72 years in Religious Life, she served in the EKG Department at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria from 1955-1957; Supervisor to the Department of Clinical Investigation 1957-1963; as an LPN at St. Mary Hospital in Marquette from 1969-1973; and as LPN at St. James Hospital in Pontiac, MI from 1973-1977. She served as a social worker at St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba from 1977-1980 and then at OSF St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, IL from 1991-2011. While there, she also served as Superior from 1998-2004. She served as Director on the OSF Healthcare Foundation Board for 23 years; Director of Vocations from 1982-1990; and on Oct. 14, 2015 was commissioned to the Motherhouse to serve in the Apostolate of Prayer and Suffering. Sister stated that the most satisfying aspect of her vocation was living in community and spending her life loving her Lord by serving the needs of others with the greatest care and love.
Sister Joan was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Alfred and Daniel; and four sisters, Beaulah, Germaine, Elaine, and June.
She is survived by her brother Michael (Linda) Tousignant of Gwinn; two sisters, Judith Keast of Petoskey, MI, and Armene (Donald) Walsh of Fenton, MI; nephews James Keast of Petoskey, MI, and Peter (Carol) Keast of Marquette; nieces Suzanne (Kenneth) Rabitaille of Marquette, Cathy Keast of Kalamazoo, MI, Mary (Robert) Vanlinden of Petoskey, and Frances (David) Ternes of Petoskey.
Funeral services were held at the Motherhouse in East Peoria on December 23, 2024 and burial took place at the Mater Dolorosa Cemetery on the Motherhouse grounds. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Wright and Salmon Mortuary. Friends and family are encouraged to log onto www.wrightandsalmon.com to sign Sister Joan’s guestbook, and to share photos and memories.