Sr. Joanne Podlucky, OP, formerly known as Sister Jessica, died on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 71 years of age and in the 52nd year of her religious profession in religious life, 12 years in the Vincentian Sisters of Charity and 40 years in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Joanne was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Julia (Viboch) Podlucky. She graduated from Vincentian High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from La Roche College in Pittsburgh, and a Master of Arts degree in Communication from University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Sister Joanne spent nine years ministering as an elementary and junior high school teacher in Pittsburgh, Duquesne and Donora, Pennsylvania; Montgomery, Alabama; and Chicago, Illinois. She also served for eight years as the advertising coordinator and public relations and communications director for the Adrian Dominican Sisters; eight years as media specialist and the director of corporate communications for Mercy Health Services in Farmington Hills, Michigan; 10 years as video producer and communication consultant as JPT Communications in Plymouth, Michigan; and for 11 years in various administrative positions for the Dominican Center for Religious Development of Michigan. Sister became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian in 2016.
Sister Joanne was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by two sisters: Francine Hill (Donald) of Missouri City, Texas, and Carolyn Silka (Joseph) of Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and two brothers: Joseph Podlucky (Su Shan) of Camp Hill, and Ronald Podlucky (Dorothy) of Windber, both in Pennsylvania.
Welcome of Sister Joanne will be on Friday, December 27, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. in the Dominican Life Center Lobby; the Wake will follow from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. in the Rose Room of the Dominican Life Center. The Reception of the Body and Vigil Prayer will be at 7:00 p.m. in St. Catherine Chapel. The Mass of Christian burial will be offered in St. Catherine Chapel on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. The Rite of Committal will be in the Congregation cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian.
Sister ministered in Michigan 36 years:
- Weber Center, Adrian (1978-1981): Advertising Coordinator
- Adrian Dominican Congregation, Adrian (1981-1986): Public Relations-Communications Director
- Mercy Health Services, Farmington Hills (1986-1990): Media Specialist
- Mercy Health Services, Farmington Hills (1990-1993): Director-Corporate Communications
- Dominican Center for Religious Development (1994-1995): Administrator
- JTP Communications, Plymouth (1995-1998): Video Producer / Communications Consultant
- JTP Communications, Dearborn Heights (1998-2005): Video Producer / Communications Consultant
- Dominican Center for Religious Development (2005-2009): Administrator
- Dominican Center for Religious Development (2009-2013): Director
- Dominican Center for Religious Development, Farmington Hills (2013-2015): Director
