Sr. Joy Halpin, IHM, 102, died Monday, Dec. 9, in IHM Senior Living Community.
Joy Catherine Halpin was born on June 12, 1917, to John and Marie (Lavely) Halpin. The Halpins raised their family of six daughters and one son in Marine City, Mich. Joy attended a one-room district school for seven years, and later Holy Cross, from which she graduated in 1935.
In 1939, Joy entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe) and received the religious name, Sister Marie Michael. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marygrove College, Detroit, and a master’s degree from the University of Detroit.
Sister Joy began her 30-year teaching ministry with elementary students at St. Joseph, Monroe; St. Phillip, Battle Creek; Sacred Heart, Roseville; Holy Name, Birmingham; and Annunciation, Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Mary of Redford, Detroit. In the 1960s, she taught high school biology at Lorain Catholic High School (Lorain, Ohio) and St. Mary Academy, Monroe.
Moving out of academia, Sister Joy engaged in parish and family ministry as religious education coordinator, director and pastoral associate, taking her to St. Kieran, Utica; and out west to Holy Rosary Mission, Kyle, S.D.; and St. Stephen’s Indian Mission, Stephen’s, Wyo. Her work in the western United States concluded with teaching positions at Dawson Community College, Glendive, Mont.; and the Creative Learning Center, Austin, Texas.
In 1990, she returned to Michigan, ministered at Sacred Heart, Dearborn, and retired in Port Huron. She volunteered for her community as a companion and driver. When she moved to the Motherhouse in 2003, she served as prayer presence for the community and the world.
Sister Joy is survived by many nieces and nephews and her sisters in community. She was preceded in death by her parents and all siblings.
Visitation will be held at the IHM Motherhouse, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, beginning at 9 a.m. A Remembering and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Chapel at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery on the Motherhouse Campus. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Rupp Funeral Home, Monroe. Memorials may be made to the IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Ave., Monroe, MI 48162-7909.
