A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Joan Oberle, CPPS, was celebrated on Feb. 23 in St. Joseph’s Chapel in O’Fallon. Sister Joan died Feb. 15. She was 90 years old.
Joan Carol Oberle was born in St. Louis on Dec. 17, 1935, the older of two children born to John and Magdalen (Schank) Oberle. She was already interested in being a sister in first grade, inspired by a Maryknoll priest recently returned from imprisonment in China. She was educated by the sisters at St. Elizabeth Academy, which drew her to the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood after her junior year of high school. She professed her first vows as Sister John Magdalen on Aug. 10, 1955. The next day she began a teaching career that would span more than three decades.
Her elementary school teaching career included eight schools in three states: Charleston, St. Louis, O’Fallon, Fenton, Mexico and St. Paul, Missouri; Quincy, Illinois; and Pueblo, Colorado. She taught in all grades (K-8) and served as a teaching principal in three of those schools, which ranged in size from 185-800. During that time, she completed her undergraduate degree in elementary education, spending one year as a full-time student at the College of St. Mary in Omaha.
Sister Joan’s teaching career was interrupted when she served as a general councilor for her community, from 1974-80. She considered it a privilege and adventure to visit the sisters in their places of service as her unassuming, yet inquisitive mind explored each location.
Aug. 1, 1990, brought a whole new set of experiences as she began her service as a pastoral associate at Holy Cross Parish in Anchorage, Alaska. In July 2002, Sister Joan embarked on a new career as she began her service in the marriage tribunal for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. She continued in this ministry for 20 years. On Nov. 30, 2022, Sister Joan returned home to O’Fallon. She lived quietly among her sisters in a humble and unassuming manner that belied her great strength of character.
Burial was in the convent cemetery.
