Joan (Joan Michael) Newhart, BVM
Joan Newhart, BVM died Tuesday, March 13, 2018, at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa. Visitation will be from 9–10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20, 2018, in the Marian Hall Chapel, followed immediately by a Sharing of Memories and funeral liturgy. Burial is in the Mount Carmel cemetery.
She was born in Oak Park, Ill., on March 21, 1928, to George and Pauline Burns Newhart. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1949, from St. Catherine of Siena, Oak Park. She professed first vows on March 19, 1952, and final vows on July 16, 1957.
Sister Joan taught secondary school in Chicago and Mundelein, Ill.; Lead, S.D.; Waterloo, Iowa; St. Louis Mo.; and Bogotá, Colombia. She served as Mundelein College director of academic computing and Loyola University Chicago Computer Center coordinator. She volunteered for many years as a congregational and high school computer consultant in the Chicago area and Dubuque.
She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by a brother, George Robert (Bob) Newhart and wife Virginia Quinn, Los Angeles; sisters Pauline (James) Quan, Hoffman Estates, Ill., and Virginia (William) Brittain, Naperville, Ill.; nieces; nephews; and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 68 years.
Make a donation in Sister’s honor.
Download EulogyDownload Wake Stories
Rest peacefully, Sister Joan.
Sister Joan was an amazing teacher. She was probably the reason I became a math educator. One of The immaculata’s best.
Sister Joan Newhart, BVM, has died. One of our beloved teachers from The Immaculata; she had a sense of humor identical to that of her brother; the great comedian and actor Bob Newhart. I had the opportunity to connect with Sister Joan recently during my visit to the Motherhouse in Dubuque for Sister John Ellen Garrity’s funeral. I have not yet posted on my 5 day visit, as it was a profound experience for me; and I am still processing it with the care and clarity it so richly deserves. What you should all know however; is that Joan Newhart was; like ALL the BVMs I had the privilege to share those days with; was a woman of incredible strength, love, compassion, faith, peace, justice, and in Joan’s case: humor.
I am saddened that that our beloved Sisters have lost another family member. Our world is emptier without her beating heart; but I am a bit more gladdened by the idea of the laughter in the Heavens from Sister Joan and her dry wit. Can you possibly imagine the conversation she had with the angels who led her into Paradise???
Our deepest sympathies to Sister Joan’s family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Love Wendy and Bill Quinn
Sister Joan was my high school chemistry teacher at Immaculata High school in Chicago. She is the reason I majored in Chemistry in college and then went on to be a scientist at Abbott Laboratories. Thanks you sister Joan for inspiring me.
I have such fond memories of working with Sr. Joan Newhart at Loyola University in the computing center. She was such a pleasure to work with and we had many laughs together. She had an incredible sense of humor. When we first met, she was so excited that we had a mutual friend in common….Rose Carlson. Although we lost touch through the years….I often think of her….as you do with people that make you smile like Joan. Wishing family and friends my deepest sympathy.
Sincerely,
Brenette Clemons
God speed, Sister Joan. Thank you for all the love and devotion you gave to us and The Immaculata. We appreciate you more than you could ever know. Our time at The Immaculata would have never been the same without you. All of us have fond memories of you. Enjoy your newfound heavenly home that is much deserved by you. If any one ever earned a special place in heaven, you did! Much love and thanks.
Sister Joan and I were chemistry majors together at Mundelein College and good friends. After I left the BVM community she and I keep in touch for many years.
So sorry for the loss of Sister Joan, my thoughts and prayers are with her family and everyone who knew her. I will never forget how good she made me feel when I would see her walking in the halls at Mac. She always had a smile and a twinkle in her eyes when she said hello. I also remember interacting with Sister Joan when I worked in the convent answering phones on Sundays. A kind and humorous person. Rest in peace Sister Joan, you will be remembered fondly and missed deeply.
I enjoyed working with Sr. Joan Newhart at the Computing Center at Loyola. We had a lot of fun and I enjoyed her sense of humor. When I first met her, she was excited that we shared a friend in common….Rose Carlson. We lost touch through the years, but I think about her often. Special people like Joan leave a lasting impression and I know she will missed by many. My deepest sympathy… heaven has a new angel.
Sincerely,
Brenette Clemons
RIH Sister Newhart. She was the best Math and Science teacher ever at Xavier High for girls in STL. So blessed we crossed paths. God bless
Rest In Peace Sister Joan.
Sister Joan brought light to the stage and the hearts of all who knew her. It was an honor to work with her at Xavier High School.
Sister Joan has been a good part of our family for sixty years. She was a wonderful friend to my Cousin Sister Jean Monica. Needless to say what a gift she was, smart, witty, compassionate. My heart goes out to her family and her BVM family. She will be missed by so many. God bless, Patricia Quinn Fitzgerald.
Pat and I express our condolences to all of Joan’s family. I worked in the classroom right next to Joan at Xavier High in the early 70’s. She was a joy to work with. We still have a pair baby socks that Joan gave our daughter, Cecely, when she was an infant. Rest in peace good friend.
Sister Joan Michael taught me Geometry in my sophomore year. I think it was the last class of the day. For some reason I remember I was seated in the back of the room in my assigned seat. Sister’s teaching style was very laid back. I think her goal was to convince all of us that we could learn and we did. Anyway, I really enjoyed Geometry and did well. Plus, I would hardly call myself a numbers person. Sister’s great gift as a teacher was to create a quiet, calm learning environment. Thank you Sister Mary Joan Michael, BVM.
One of my favorite teachers at Xavier HS in St Louis, because she encouraged my love of science l went on to get a bachelor’s in nursing and continue today some 40+ years later teaching Nursing. God bless her family, thoughts and prayers to you all.
Sister Joan came to my Xavier High school graduation party. My dad’s family was not Catholic and my great uncle Harry was surprised she was not wearing a habit. When she told my dad she wanted a drink, Harry said to her” you are really not a *&^% nun are you? My maternal grandmother ran into the kitchen and told my mom “Harry is cussing at Sr. Joan.” Sr. Joan was not phased at all.
Whenever a human being decides to dedicate their entire life to the service of others, that individual is following the teachings of Jesus at it’s core, the core being “love.” Until His moment in time, no other great teacher had focused on this universal principle and Sister Joan was a living demonstration of this behavior everyday of her life. I never met Sister Joan, but I did know a Dominican Nun named Sister Aiden when I was 6 years old. She saved my life through her love and love is unconditional, forgiving and healing … I believe that Sister Joan understood love and distributed it generously. I wish her a serene eternity in the blessed white light surrounded by all other loving beings that now exist in the next dimension. Bless you, Sister Joan and all of your fellows. Dr. D. A. Hanson
Sister Joan Michael – the most loving woman – as evidenced by all the responses from so many of her students. Yes, she was brilliant and smart and fun but most of all she showed us LOVE which has lasted over 60 years. She left me four words – once I was stuck at the blackboard and couldn’t figure out the answer – she walked over to me and said; YOU CAN DO IT – and I did – Whenever I’ve been stuck at the blackboard of life – I hear her words YOU CAN DO IT and the answer appears. Her spirit is a part of my life and I will hear her words always.
My sympathies to the family – this truly is a great loss
Gloria Valentino
Sr. Joan was one of my favorite teachers at Carmel. I had the privilege of visiting her a few years ago in Dubuque. She was a remarkable woman.
Our deepest sympathy to the family of Sister Joan Newhart, BVM.
You are each in our prayers.
The Mundelein Class of 1965
Joan Giampoli Broz
My heartfelt condolences to Sr. Joan’s family and her BVM family. She was my physical science and chemistry teacher at Xavier High School for Girls in St. Louis. I also worked for her in the chemistry lab after school. Fortunately, I was able to visit her in 2007 in Chicago, with another student of hers, Therese Laskowsky. We went out to lunch, and apologized to our waitress because we were there for hours, mostly laughing. After all these years, Sr. Joan and I still exchanged Christmas cards, and I will treasure every beautiful note she wrote to me. God bless you, Sister.
Sister Joan was my chemistry teacher at The Immaculata High School in Chicago. She was a truly gifted teacher and a real inspiration. May she rest in peace. My condolences to her immediate family and her BVM family.
I, too, have a beautiful memory of “Joannie”. Prior to joining the convent as a teenager she came to California to visit her extended family. I, at eleven, was taken with her charm, wit and wholesomeness. We need angels like her. Thank you God for giving her to us, Cousin Nancy
Sister Joan Michael was my homeroom teacher my freshman year in ’56 at the Immaculata. The first day of school her assignment was to learn The Prayer of Saint Francis by heart. Both the prayer and Sister Joan have left a lifelong impression on me. Happy everlasting life, Sister.
I was a troubled student from a family of 14. I only attended school because I had to. Due to a disfiguring dental problem which I lived with until early adulthood I decided I wanted to become a Dentist so I could someday help others. In high school I still had the dream to become a Dentist but had not taken any coursework to allow me to even have a chance to enter college. My counselor’s told me college shouldn’t be in my future and to consider just try getting a job when I graduated. I knew I needed science and math to make it easier to get into college for premed/pre dental. My junior year I took math and chemistry and ended up with Sister Newhart as my chemistry teacher. I confided in her my goals and realized I hadn’t really prepared myself for getting into college. Sister MJM was the first person to tell me I could achieve my dream.
There’s so much more I could write but Sister MJM was the singular person who helped me achieve my goal.
I only wish I had sought her out before her passing.