Sister Joanne Kinjerski

A native of West Kewaunee, Sister Joanne (Barbara) Kinjerski was born June 12, 1930, the ninth of Isidore and Stella (Knipp) Kinjerski's twelve children. The family belonged to St. Hedwig Parish (now St. Therese of Lesieux).

Prior to entering St. Francis Convent in Bay Settlement on Oct. 4, 1951, she worked for four years at the Hansen Glove factory in Kewaunee.

Sister Joanne graduated from St. Norbert College in De Pere with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. For 27 years she taught in Catholic elementary schools in Bay Settlement, Bear Creek, Green Bay, Howard, Marinette, Osman and Tonet. She then served as a health caregiver/housekeeper for fourteen years at the McCormick Memorial Home in Allouez.  "I never regretted my life as a religious," she says.

Since 1996, she has provided sewing and laundry services for Sisters at the Motherhouse. In her free time, Sister Joanne made rosaries from rose pedals, a labor of love that was featured in the May 18, 2012, edition of The Compass newspaper. Sister has discontinued this ministry but she refers people to Barbara Bowman of Kewaunee (920-362-9021) who knows this art.