TRAVELERS REST—Sister Joan Kimball, OSC, of the Monastery of St. Clare, died on Jan. 25, with all her sisters at her bedside. She was 86.
The Mass of the Resurrection was held Jan. 31 at the Monastery of St. Clare, followed by burial in the monastery cemetery.
She was born in Boston, Mass., on Feb. 19, 1931, a daughter of Arthur and Charlotte Huxford Kimball.
Sister Joan entered the Poor Clares in Jamaica Plain, Mass., on July 1, 1949. She was one of the 12 pioneer sisters who came to Greenville on March 1, 1955, to establish a new Poor Clare monastery.
Sister Joan faithfully served the community as an extern sister, taking care of all shopping and business outside of the monastery, and established relationships for the sisters that have endured to this day. She is the last of the 12 pioneer sisters.
Christmas decorating and gardening were among her passions. She had a genuine contemplative spirit, and all will remember Sister Joan as dedicated, committed to prayer, patient, and playful. Her community said she always expressed gratitude for the least thing done for her, and was a hostess par excellence.
Sister Joan maintained her good humor, wit and gracious manner throughout her last difficult months.
In addition to her Poor Clare sisters, Sister Joan is survived by her nephews, Frank Thistle of Hilton Head, S.C.; Ken Thistle of North Easton, Mass.; and Richard Kimball of Boston; plus several grandnieces and grandnephews.
