Sister Gerarda Marie Joubert
Jeanne Joubert

 
Reflections by Sally Slyngstad, SNJM

I don't believe we could say it better than Mary Haupt did in announcing Gerarda's entrance into eternal life. And I quote, "Gerarda, in her letter requesting entry into the community, wrote, 'Although I realize I have nothing in the line of natural talents to offer the community, I humbly beg to be received as your spiritual child.'" Mary wrote "If Gerarda had a glimpse of how her life would unfold, might she have written something different?" As I begin, I warn you that these words are a little longer than usual, but her life's story dictates nothing less.

This remarkable woman, born April 3, 1917 to Lou and Christine, the youngest of six Joubert children, came from a close loving family. She wrote that her parents tried to provide them with every advantage in spite of living through the depression. Her formal education began at St. Patrick's Elementary School in Kankakee, Illinois. She went on to four different high schools due to multiple moves during those years, first in Texas, then in South Bend, then St. Andrew's in Pasadena and finally in Oakland where she graduated from Holy Names High School, a place to which she would return years later.

Those are some facts that shaped her person, but who was Jeanne Joubert, known as Sister Gerarda Marie, Ger, Gerarda, Gi, Sister, depending on one's relationship with her?

She was fun, adventuresome, creative, smart, prayerful, dedicated, loyal, unconditionally loving, affirming, playful, challenging, sometimes vulnerable, compassionate, supportive, interested, curious, a woman of the Church. Her ministries spanned formal education - both teaching and administration, social services, pastoral ministry, community leadership, support services, Associates, bookkeeping, secondary education supervisor, and prayer ministry in these last challenging years .

Gerarda's years in education are legendary. Education was the place where she began and where she ended her years of active ministry. She was teacher, principal, assistant principal, supervisor and alumnae director. The messages received in the last week from her former students describe her as "so much fun to be with," "kind and loving to all whom she met." One shared that "Sister Gerarda always knew who took which bus, kept track of whether or not we'd gotton on it yet, holding the bus and waving for us to hurry across the yard or the driver would leave with out us! She saved me from having to hike home to Piedmont more than once. She was one cool Sister for all of us." Another wrote, "she had a spirit of knowing who needed a hug, smile, or kind word," and still another said, "I remember her fun and most especially recall her love for each of us. What a lady, now a saint." A number of her students from years past have joined us tonight and others will join in her burial rite tomorrow. Those who benefitted from her years as secondary education supervisor say she was supportive, affirming, and had a unique ability to foster confidence in others.

She was so proud of her participation in Rome during the last session of the Second Vatican Council and credits Sister William Marie's confidence in her abilities and gifts for that experience. She respected the women and men with whom she collaborated, made some life long friends, and had a special fondness for Cardinal Suenens.

Upon return from Rome she said, "Concerning the world wide vision which we all must have, we must become pastorally and socially more conscious of the needs of our times. We cannot think provincially anymore; we must be constantly aware of the needs of the whole Church ─ the whole world. This is a time for bigness, not for little minute particulars. We must look with courage to the future ─ to change." She was a woman ahead of her time and sometimes suffered when she experienced resistance to more forward more quickly.

With Margaret Ann Kennedy she saw the need for a safe loving place where adolescent girls could go during a time of special need and so began the Bridge Home. It was a place where girls could face their issues in a safe environment and a place where young aspiring MSWs were offered the opportunity to hone their skills and be empowered to move on to careers in the counseling profession. Although she did not feel entirely supported in this effort, she was again, a woman of vision ahead of her time.

Wanting to offer support and companionship to Miriam Phelan, her adventuresome spirit took her to Whitedog, Ontario in 1985, a place with an unforgiving winter climate. In one of her wonderful letters to the "Folks at Home," she reflected on her early days there saying, "I have very much to learn." One of her learnings concerned fishing about which she said, "the fish weren't home but I learned a lot. And all of this learning was in the presence of five dogs." Dogs, as many of us know, were a pretty consistent theme in Gerarda's life! As to canoeing, she said, "we were so intent on fishing that we didn't pay attention to the wind. By the time Columbus (AKA Miriam) advised more rowing and less fishing, the wind and waves turned over our canoe and gently landed us in moderately cold water, glasses, watches, cameras, fishing gear and all. . . You can guess how heartedly we laughed!" All this was at the time she was 68 years old and 51 years from her date of entry into the community.

Long before we knew or used the word "cluster," she, Catherine Irene and Miriam Phelan initiated a group of SNJMS to gather monthly to pray and share and seven of us "survivors" still gather to this day.

After returning to California she became Associate Director and then a member of the Province Leadership team, serving as Southern Regional. With her sidekick Gabriel as her trusty chauffeur, she loved visiting sisters and associates and Southern California again became a home to her. A hard core people person, she was loved by all. When she decided to end her years on the Council at age 79, she told us to "just leave me in peace and money."

After leaving leadership she returned to Holy Names High School where she served as Alumnae Director and lended support to the development effort. She loved her little cubicle complete with photos, fish and her plants to which she continued to talk daily, which was pretty much a life-long habit. She was convinced that made the plants happy and healthy.

To this day HNHS alums talk about how wonderful she was to them during those years and how responsive she was in times of need or death in their families. When her days of ministry in the school ended, she continued to live in the convent, providing service to the sisters in the convent in whatever way she could.

Gerarda's move to Los Gatos was not easy and signs of forgetfulness were apparent and troubling. In 2004 she was diagnosed with frontotemporal central atrophy or dementia, and she continued to experience a loss of her abilities, including her ability to communicate verbally. In Ted Kennedy's book, True Compass, he wrote of his mother Rose's loss of speech saying, "We who sometimes drown in words could afford to learn that sometimes the deepest relationships are built without them." Gerarda's deepest and most precious relationships continued to be built these last years of her life, including those with the wonderful people who provide such magnificent care in our Care Center, one of whom said last week, "I have never heard Sister Gerarda's voice."

Gerarda's niece Ann will share a bit with us shortly but no reflection on her amazing life would be complete without mention of the importance she placed on family. She loved her sisters and brothers, connected with them, sometimes worried about them and had a keen interest in the next generations. Her devotion to and friendship with her sister Emily was a true blessing, especially toward the end of Emily's life. In the small book her brother wrote on the occasion of his 60th jubilee of ordination, he reflected, "In large families. . . there is usually one person who, prompted by love, succeeds in maintaining the unity of the family. They do this by assembling all the blood relatives in periodic gatherings. In our family Sister Gerarda Marie is the magnet who draws us all together."
 
I had the privilege of accompanying Gerarda to her brother's funeral in Houston, a trip not easy for her as the growing dementia was taking its toll. How her face lit up when we entered that church and she saw people she knew and loved deeply. For that shining moment she was truly alive and thrilled to be with family and friends, who in turn made her feel very special. I believe that may have been her last trip away from Los Gatos.

There are a number of constants that can be identified in Gerarda's life, Love of family and community and people are first. Others worth mention are dominoes (I can't tell you how many games I lost to her), bridge, dogs, the Oakland A's, and of course Notre Dame football. She was always up for travel, whether near or far, especially if it was to South Bend. Not only did Notre Dame draw her, but she loved visiting her niece Lois and family.

The one word we have heard over and over since her death is FUN. Just ask Donna Maynard, Michaeline Falvey or Catherine Irene about their jaunt to the Northwest and the hiding sister under the blanket in the car. Or ask about the trip to Houston soon after she learned to drive when her SNJM companions found themselves driven the wrong way down a one way street. Gerarda just laughed! In her later years she could be heard proclaiming, "I am an old lady and can do what I want so deal with it" as she did something at least slightly outrageous.

Indeed we celebrate a remarkable, memorable woman who laughed with others and could laugh at herself. She lived long, she lived well and she loved much. Her contagious smile, love of people, ability to affirm while encouraging folks to strive for excellence will live in our hearts and memories. As we thank God for this magnificent woman, we thank you, Gerarda, for all you have given to us. Vaya con Dios, until we meet again.

─Sally Slyngstad, SNJM