A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Joan McDermott, D.C., was celebrated February 27, 2020, at The Sarah Community Marian Chapel in Bridgeton, Missouri; burial followed on February 28 at Marillac Cemetery, Normandy, Missouri. Sister Joan died on February 19, 2020, at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton. She was 83 years of age and 65 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Perryville, Missouri, on April 22, 1936, Sister Joan (baptized Joan Marie) was one of 14 children, seven girls and seven boys, born to Thomas S. and Sylvia (Grass) McDermott. A 1954 graduate of from St. Vincent High School, Perryville, she entered Daughters of Charity from St. Maurus Parish, Biehle, Missouri, in September 1954. Sister Joan earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in History at Marillac College, Normandy, in 1965.
Following initial formation, Sister Joan served as a Primary Teacher at the following schools: Holy Trinity School, Dallas, Texas (1956 to 1958); St. Patrick School in St. Louis (1958 to 1962); St. Francis De Sales School, Lake Zurich, Illinois (1962 to 1964); and St. Thomas-on-the-Hill, Birmingham, Alabama (1964 t0 1965). She was missioned to LaSalle, Illinois, where she taught middle grades at St. Patrick Grade School (1965 to 1966). Sister Joan next served as a Library Assistant at Marillac College in Normandy (1966 to 1968) then at Holy Spirit Convent in Northfield, Illinois (1968 to 1970). Sister next served as a Unit Clerk in Medical Records and Special Education Teacher at St. Vincent Hospital, Normandy (1970 to 1977); she then served as an Elementary Teacher at St. Mary’s Regional School in West Plains, Missouri (1977 to 1978) and at Incarnate Word School in New Orleans (1978). Sister was missioned to the Marillac Provincial House in Normandy in 1978 to assist with various assignments; she then served as a Pastoral Minister at DePaul Health Center and St. Anne’s in Bridgeton (1979 to 1991).
Sister Joan returned to Marillac Provincial House to assist in the Library and to serve in Pastoral Care at Villa St. Louise (1991 to 1996). Sister entered the Ministry of Prayer at Villa St. Louise in 1996, then continued to serve in this ministry at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton until the time of her death.
Sister Joan is preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Edward McDermott, Dennis McDermott, James McDermott, Dr. Alfred McDermott, Joseph McDermott, and Thomas McDermott; by her sisters, Elizabeth Vorbeck, Sister Aileen McDermott, D.C., Millicent (Millie) Sexauer, Patricia Sleyster, and Lucille Eichenland. Sister is survived by her sister Carolyn Kruth of Carnegie, Pennsylvania; and her brother, Robert McDermott, of Independence, Missouri. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews; and her Sisters in Community.