Sister Joan Manion, was born in Toledo, Ohio, the fourth of seven children to Harold and Florence (Dunnigan) Manion.  She made her entry into the Sisters of Charity, "Grey Nuns" in Cambridge, MA, and took final vows at the Grey Nuns Mother House, in Montreal, Canada in 1957. She completed her nurses training at St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing, became certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner by the Board of Division on Maternal and Child Health Nursing Practice, and earned a Bachelor of Science (BSN) from Boston College and a Master of Science (MSW) from St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO.  Sister Joan Manion actively served as a Nurse at Holy Ghost (later Youville) Hospital, Cambridge, MA; St. Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, OH; and St. Joseph's Hospital, Nashua, NH.  In the Diocese of Memphis in Dyersburg, TN, she was a Child Health Nurse, at Lake County Primary Care Center and Health Department, responsible for pediatric care throughout the County and at the Rural Clinic.  Her dedicated care and presence was lovingly embraced by people who had never before seen or spoken to a Roman Catholic Sister.  As Executive Director of St. Peter's Medical Center, in New Brunswick, NJ, Sister Joan Manion helped establish a joint medical residency program in concert with Middlesex General Hospital, and was involved in planning and implementing an $11 million expansion program.  At St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, OH, she served as an Assistant Administrator, and later as a Pediatric Nurse Clinician, establishing a home visiting program for indigent and staff newborns.  Later she became Project Coordinator for "Hope for Families," a federally-funded program designed to prevent substance abuse during pregnancy while improving birth outcomes. Sister Joan Manion has been on the Board of Directors and Trustees, and has acted as interim President and CEO of the St. Vincent Medical Center Foundation.  In 1976, she was recognized with the "Humanitarian Award" from St. Peter's Medical Center, and in 1993, she received the "Women of Toledo Award" from the St. Vincent Medical Center Auxiliary.  As Vice President of Mission and Education for Covenant Health Systems, Inc., Provincial Treasurer, and ongoing supervisor of Marshfield Retreat Cottage, she has continued to dedicate her experience to serving her community. In addition, she has reached out to improve patient experiences as a Patient Representative at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, NH, where she started her career as a Nursing Supervisor.  Retiring in 2002, Sister Joan Manion continued to spread the spirit of St. Marguerite d'Youville while volunteering and being, as she once described, "the presence of the Church," by compassionately identifying with people and her community, and caring for those in need.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday Sept. 23 at Youville Place Chapel, 10 Pelham Rd. Lexington at 12:15pm. Visitation prior to service from 10am to 11am. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.