Sister Joanne, 92, of Englewood Cliffs, NJ, died peacefully at St. Michael Villa on January 15, 2024. She was born on October 28, 1931, in East Brunswick, New Jersey, the third child of the late Joseph Anton Rusch and Beatrice Adelaid Mendoker Rusch.

Sister Joanne became a Postulant on July 31, 1951, at St. Michael Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, then a Novice on February 2, 1952. She pronounced Final Vows there on August 22, 1957.

Sister Joanne graduated from: Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ with a B.A. in Education in 1962 and from Mt. St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA with an M.A. in Guidance, Secondary Education and Administration in 1967. Sister Joanne taught at: St. Anne’s E.S., Fair Lawn, NJ; St. Luke’s H.S., Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, and St. Genevieve H.S., Panorama City, CA.

In 1977 she left teaching and became an Accounting Clerk in Health Services at St. James Hospital in Newark, NJ. She then went to St. Peter’s Medical Center in New Brunswick where she served as Manager of Accounts Receivables, Mission Excellence, and Advocate for Patients, Employees, Needy and Poor until she retired to St. Michael Villa in 2013 where she continued to serve her Community on various Boards and Committees.

Sr. Joanne was pre-deceased by her brothers, Mr. Joseph Rusch and Mr. Alfred Rusch, and her niece, Mrs. Joanne Huwyler. She is survived by her niece, Mrs. Beverly Gearhart, and her nephew, Mr. Joseph Rusch. 

A combined Wake Service and Liturgy of Christian burial will be held on

Monday, January 22nd at 9:00 a.m. at St. Michael Villa in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Shalom Center, 399 Hudson Terrace, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632-2806.