Sister Gerarda Marie Joubert, SNJM
Jeanne Joubert

The family moved several times. When the parents sold their drugstore and purchased a small grapefruit ranch near McAllen, Texas, Jeanne attended McAllen High School. She went on to three other high schools at St. Joseph High in South Bend, Indiana, St. Andrew’s High in Pasadena, California, where she had her first contact with the Sisters of the Holy Names, and Holy Names High School in Oakland, California.

On July 26, 1934, Jeanne entered the Novitiate at Holy Names College in Oakland. She attributed her vocation to her good home, loving parents and the goodness and kindness of the Sisters, particularly those at Holy Names High School.Jeanne made her first profession on August 5, 1936, and received the name Sister Gerarda Marie.

In 1936 she began her elementary teaching ministry in various schools at St. Francis de Sales in Oakland, St. Anselm in San Anselmo, St. Augustine in Oakland, St. Monica in San Francisco, Holy Names Academy in Pomona, St. Cecilia in San Francisco, and St. Gregory in Los Angeles. She obtained her BA in Education and her MA in Social Studies from Holy Names College and took other education, theology and in-service courses at Loyola University, Notre Dame, University of San Francisco and UCLA.

Beginning in 1953, Sister Gerarda taught on the secondary level at Ramona Convent in Alhambra and Holy Names High School in Oakland. Later she was assigned as principal and superior at Ramona Convent and served in that position from 1963 to 1969. In 1969 she was appointed Coordinator of Secondary Schools, later serving in administrative positions at Marin Catholic High in Kentfield, St. Monica High in Santa Monica, and again at Holy Names High School in Oakland. Sister said that her favorite teaching assignments were at St. Cecilia School and Ramona Convent.

During her time at Ramona Convent, Sister was selected in 1964 as one of four religious from California to participate in a series of meetings under the auspices of Cardinal Leon Joseph how the Council decrees might be applied to religious life. The meetings took place in the fall of 1965 in Rome while the Ecumenical Council was in session. During her three months in Rome, Sister wrote almost daily letters to Sister Frances Catherine, Provincial Secretary, giving accounts and highlights of her experiences.

Sister Gerarda moved into a social ministry when, in the 1970’s, she observed the need for a safe haven for adolescent girls trying to transition from such problems as addiction, abuse, and with Margaret Ann Kennedy, Sister founded The Bridge Home in San Leandro, serving as its director for seven years.

At the age of 68 Sister Gerarda ventured into pastoral ministry in a most challenging way, when in 1985 she went to Whitedog, Ontario, Canada, to offer her support and companionship to Sister Miriam Phelan. In her letters back to the “Folks at Home”, Sister Gerarda spoke of the breath-taking beauty of Whitedog, situated on the Winnipeg River, and gave vivid accounts about the people, their lives and problems…as well as stories about the resident dogs and cat!

Before returning to California, she wrote in her letter dated February 18, 1986, “These have been busy days since our centre is completed. It is used for AA meetings, card games, a Ladies’ Night once a week, a rummage sale, Native drummers’ practice place, a small pow-wow to give away the possessions of a dead man, and of course our own weekly prayer and Bible instructions. We – Father Robert and Miriam – are preparing the people for the Sacrament of Baptism. This means involving the whole Catholic community, the parents of the children (14) and the adults to be baptized (2).” Whitedog was quite a learning experience for Sister Gerarda!

Sister Gerarda departed from the adventure and challenge of Whitedog to return to California to celebrate her Golden Jubilee in 1986. Of this she wrote, “My prayer these days tends to turn toward the changes in my life during these fifty years --- the people, the places, the words that have made these years of happiness, of service, of relationships, of tears and, most of the time, of great joy in my commitment to the Lord.”

After returning to California, from 1986 to 1992 Sister served as Southern Director of the Associate Program and later as Regional Councilor on the Province Leadership Team. Sister Sally Slyngstad reflected, “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 the Provincial Leadership in 1992, Sister Gerarda returned to Holy Names High School as the Alumnae Director.

Sister Gerarda moved to the Care Center in 2004. This was difficult for her, but her signs of forgetfulness were becoming more apparent. She was diagnosed with frontotemporal central atrophy or dementia. Eventually, she lost the ability to communicate verbally.

Following a lengthy illness, Sister Gerarda Marie went peacefully home to her God at 8:35 p.m. on June 21, 2010, at the Care Center of Convent of the Holy Names in Los Gatos. She was surrounded by her Sisters who, for many days, had been keeping prayer vigil at her side. Sister was 93 years of age and 74 years of religious profession.

The Mass of Resurrection was celebrated on June 29th in the Convent Chapel at 7:15 p.m. by Reverend Michael Strange, presider. In his comments, Father Strange delighted in recalling that Sister Gerarda was his teacher for, not one, but three years in his second, third and fourth grades in St. Cecilia School. Sister Marguerite Kirk welcomed the congregation and Sister Jean Cather sprinkled the casket with holy water. Margaret and Don Costa, Sister Ruth Raftery and Sister Mary Herbert Raphael were pallbearers. Sister Donna Maynard proclaimed the first reading (Isaiah 43:1-5a), and Sister Molly Neville proclaimed the second reading (1 John 3:1-2).

Sister Margaret Kennedy gave the Reflection on the Word, and Sister Catherine Irene Thoeni presented the General Intercessions. After Communion, Sister Sally Slyngstad and Ann Cottingham, Sister Gerarda’s niece, gave reflections on Sister’s life. Sister Mary Becker,

member of the Los Gatos Mission Centre Team, offered the final commendation. After the liturgy, a reception was held in the Convent Dining Room. The Rite of Committal took place at 10:15 a.m. on June 30, 2010, at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California.

In Sister Sally Slyngstad’s reflections, she identified the number of constants in Sister Gerarda Marie’s life, “Love of family and community and people are first. Others worth mentioning 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.” And in summary, Sister Sally added, “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.”