Coffey, Joan Marie

• Sister Joan Coffey, SOS

COFFEY, Joan Marie: Born 12 June 1928 in Toronto; daughter of John Leo Coffey and Josephine Quinlan; entered 2 August 1949; first vows, 2 February 1952; final vows, 15 August 1957; died 11 January 2013.

Growing up in North Toronto, Joan graduated from Loretto Abbey and the University of Toronto with a bachelor of household science degree in June 1949. During university, she attended the Redemptorist downtown parish of St. Patrick's and received a pamphlet about the Sisters of Service during a mission. Two months later, she entered, professing first vows in 1952, a few months before her younger sister Frances entered the community. Her uncle was Rev. Bernard Coffey, CSsR. After first vows on February 2, 1952, Sister Coffey was appointed to the Toronto women's residence, adjacent to the Motherhouse, and while living there, she attended the College of Education at the University of Toronto, obtaining a bachelor of education degree in June 1953.

With these teaching credentials, Sister Coffey received a series of teaching assignments for the next 15 years in small farming communities of Western Canada. . At Rosary School, Manning, Alberta (1953-1960), she also served as the school's principal (1956-1960). Similarly, she was a teacher-principal (1960-1962) at Immaculate Conception separate school, Peace River, Alberta, and at Loyola School for Grades 7-10 in Sinnett, Saskatchewan (1962-1968). When the Loyola high school grades were moved to the town of Lanigan, she commuted to teach at Lanigan Collegiate. Dressed in non-religious clothing, she taught home economics and an English Literature course to Grade 12 Mennonite students. She also was a guidance counsellor after earning a guidance diploma at the University of Saskatchewan. During this time, she also served as superior (1966-1968) at the Sinnett mission.

For the next teaching assignments, Sister Coffey moved to Newfoundland and Labrador. In St. John's, (1968-1972, superior 1969-1972), she taught at St. John Bosco School, the province's first alternative school. When the SOS women's residence closed in that city, Sister Coffey joined the teaching staff and was principal of Pennamin Mckenzie School (1972-1984) in the central Labrador community of North West River, on the homelands of the Innu Sheshatshui First Nation. As principal, Sister Coffey put into place programs and activities to enhance and support the revival and respect of the culture and traditions of the Indigenous peoples.

In 1974, she was elected to serve on the General Council, commuting to Toronto for meetings during the four-year term. In addition to the school workload, she joined the executive (1972-1981) of the Newfoundland Teachers' Association, holding the record at that time as the longest serving woman member. Sister Coffey took advantage of those meetings in St. John's to go shopping in the city's Avalon mall, where she purchased a variety of items at much cheaper prices for the families in Labrador, returning with suitcases full of treats, staple goods and cigarettes.

Upon retiring from teaching, Sister Coffey moved to the women's residence in Halifax (1984-1996), where she served as superior (1988-1990). Out of the residence, she taught and organized religious education at St. Mary's school as well as assisted with the adult religion programme at St. Mary's Basilica. In a new era of the community’s immigration work in Halifax, Sister Coffey helped a group of refugees, who had come to the basilica. In 1990, she became co-ordinator of Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement services for the Archdiocese of Halifax. A tireless advocate, Sister Coffey assisted refugees, whether ship jumpers or stowaways and described herself as "a buffer between the boys and the system." Sister Coffey found friendly landlords and generous citizens whose donations of clothing, furniture, bedding, household appliances and food to help refugees with a new start to Canadian life.

In 1996, she moved to the Toronto Motherhouse to assist with the care of the retired Sisters. On Sunday nights, she helped at the Out of the Cold program for the homeless in the St. Patrick's parish hall. Sister Coffey joined the retired sisters at Scarborough Court (1999-2003) and moved to Providence Centre, where she died on January 11, 2013 at the age of 85. The wake service and Mass of Christian Burial were held in the chapel of LaSalle Manor, Toronto with concelebrants Frs. James Gauthier, Paul Lennon, and Redemptorist Provincial Superior Mark Miller. She was buried in the community’s plot at Mount Hope cemetery in Toronto.

Created by F Rousselle April 8, 2026.

Biographical sketch adapted for brevity from complete biography written by SOS congregational archivist MC Havey.