Sr. Joan Cecile Ayotte

St. Agatha Maine - Sr. Joan Ayotte, D.W. 86, ended her earthly journey on Tuesday October 15, at High View Manor in Madawaska, with her sisters by her side. She was born on January 8, 1938, in Frenchville, Maine, the second daughter of Lawrence and Irene Albert Ayotte. She attended school in St. Agatha starting at Blaine, a two-room schoolhouse in her neighborhood, and then on to Montfort School and Notre Dame de la Sagesse Secondary School.

Sr. Joan discerned a religious vocation during high school, and attended the Daughters of Wisdom Novitiate in Litchfield, Connecticut, making her profession on February 2,1959.

Her ministry in New York lasted ten years in food service. Her time there was spent meeting the nutritional needs of Catholic school students and the sisters who taught them. Being the second oldest of many siblings, Joan had learned much about cooking healthy, nutritious meals for a lot of people. Sr. Joan also served in Ozone Park, Port Jefferson and Bay Shore, New York in a very similar capacity. Sr. Joan received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College on June 5,1972. Completing her education at Queen’s College enabled her to return to her beloved St. John Valley, where she began an 11-year stint teaching home economics to Fort Kent Community High School students. She furthered her education at the University of Maine in Orono, earning a Master of Education degree on August 16, 1985. This was followed by her teaching special education for 10 years at Madawaska Elementary School.

Sr. Joan retired from teaching in 1998. Following her retirement, she became a certified nurse’s assistant on July 19, 2000, and completed Hospice Volunteer Training May 25, 2000. She enjoyed her work serving the elderly and the sick at High View Manor and for one year was her father Lawrence’s primary caregiver. For several years she was on the road delivering Meals on Wheels as an RSVP volunteer affiliated with the Area Agency on Aging. She continued this ministry as a medical transport person with the St. John Valley Faith in Action. She volunteered on the Pioneer Educational Foundation Board of Directors and was a member of the Marquis Family Reunion Committee.

Sr. Joan believed that the legacy passed on to us from our parents and the Daughters of Wisdom stands before us as we remember that rooted in love and prayer, we look to each day as open to new opportunities that the day offers and ended each day renewed in the conviction that God is present in our lives and the lives of the people we serve.

In 2006, Sr. Joan became an integral part of setting up and maintaining Long Lake Public Library, working tirelessly to catalog and maintain the library collection. She has been active as a library board member serving as secretary for three years.

Sr. Joan, ever creative, industrious and ingenious, always worked behind the scenes doing what needed to be done; she showed her resourcefulness, intelligence, work ethic, knowledge, and savoir-faire in all that she undertook, indefatigable each and every day.

In all the jobs Sr. Joan had in her professional life, she made sure that she was fully qualified whether it was teaching, nursing, serving and she did a great job. Sr. Joan left an indelible mark on former students, given that she taught some of them in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, many remembered her fondly.

It is thanks to Sr. Joan that the sisters of Maine have been allowed the choice to remain in Maine or go to New York in their final days. When asked where the community could build a retirement home, Sr. Joan had the courage to ask for the option to remain in Maine. That has been a great blessing for us and for the sisters who chose to remain in Maine till their death.

Sr. Joan has been able to be and serve in a way that our lives have all been enriched by her gifts and enthusiastic dedication. Her skills, energy, love and service have been a great contribution to the realization of a public library that is truly making our community of St. Agatha and the daughters of Wisdom proud of what our Montfortian heritage has accomplished and leaves for future generations.

Sr. Joan is survived by five sisters and three brothers, Therese and Doris of Bangor, ME, Sr. Jacqueline of St. Agatha, ME, Judy Paradis of Frenchville, ME, Mary Anne LeBlanc of Princeton, MA, Clarence Ayotte of Camp Verde, AZ, John (Clara) Ayotte of Hampden, ME, Lawrence Patrick (Theresa) Ayotte of Brewer, ME. Several nieces and nephews, Dwayne (Mary Ann) Mckinley of Montreal, QC, Dale McKinley of New Waterford, NS, Canada, Danielle LeBlanc and Elyse (Joe) LeBlanc Gerakines, MA, Keith and Kelly (Joshua and Logan) Ayotte from Camp Verde, AZ, Randy Ayotte from Gorham, ME, Benjamin (Jimilee) Ayotte (Danae, Duncan, Sorcha, Sullivan) from Stettler, AB, Canada. Jesse and Nicole (Vee) Ayotte, California.

She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Lorraine McKinley and her husband Barry, brothers-in-law Paul LeBlanc, Rosaire Paradis, sister-in-law Helen Ayotte.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday October 19, 2024 at the Ste-Agathe Catholic Church with Rev. Kent Ouellette officiating. Burial will follow at Cimetiere Notre Dame de la Sagesse, Ste-Agathe, ME.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Long Lake Public Library, 384 Main Street, St. Agatha, Me 04772

Condolences may be shared at: michaudfuneralhomes.com

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