Sister Joyce M. Landreman, CSJ

(S. Norbert Mary)

Gentle, grateful, hard-working

Norbert and Emma (Mayer) Landreman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, welcomed their first child, whom they named named Joyce, on October 21, 1928. Over time, siblings Norbert, Rita and Myrna arrived. Eventually, they moved to West de Pere where they raised their children. Joyce attended Saint Joseph Elementary School staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph. There were many she enjoyed and admired, among whom were Sister Mary Herbert Kearns who instilled in her students a love of reading and Sister Julianna Marie Bourassa.

Joyce attended the public high school. She loved her high school years, especially writing for the newspaper, belonging to a group that helped the less fortunate and being in the chorus. During ninth grade, their mother embraced the Catholic faith. Joyce was quick to say that their mother was always a woman of faith, molding and training her children to do what was right. Sunday Mass as a family became a great new experience for them. Her mother also relished all the new friends she made as she became active in the parish.

After high school, Joyce was busy at various jobs. After five years, realizing that she wanted to do something to help others, she made the decision to become a Sister of St. Joseph. She entered on September 15, 1951, and received the habit and the name Sister Norbert Mary on March 19, 1952. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Fontbonne College (1962) and a master’s in education from Saint Louis University (1968), both in St. Louis. She also had hours in pastoral studies from the Pastoral Ministry Center in Kansas City, Missouri (1999).

Sister Joyce’s ministry began teaching intermediate and/or junior high first at St. Gregory, St. Ann, Missouri (1954), followed by St. Francis de Sales, Denver, Colorado (1961); and Sacred Heart, Muskogee, Oklahoma (1962), where she also served as principal (1963). She then served as a principal at Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown, Missouri (1965); teacher and principal at St. Patrick, St. Joseph, Missouri (1968); and teacher at St. Mary on the Hill, Augusta, Georgia (1969); St. Joseph, Marietta, Georgia (1970); and St. Catherine of Siena, Denver, Colorado (1972).

In 1973, Sister Joyce left teaching and was the secretary at St. Anne Parish in Arvada, Colorado. In 1977, she moved to the Provincial House in St. Louis to be a secretary there. She was secretary at St. Elizabeth Parish, Kansas City, Missouri (1978) and pastoral assistant at St. Catherine of Sienna Parish in St. Louis (1980). Next, she was adult education coordinator at St. Rose of Lima, Houston, Texas (1982); Life Skills Center, Sabbatical, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1986).

Her next 20 years were spent in Green Bay, Wisconsin: pastoral assistant at St. Jude Parish (1986); receptionist at Brown County Commission on Aging (1991); senior aid at Curative Rehab Center (1993); and adult education ESL teacher at both Nicolet Elementary (1998) and the Literacy Council of Brown County Boys and Girls Club (2005).

She retired/volunteered at Our Lady’s Community at the Carondelet Motherhouse in St. Louis (2007).

Carondelet is a beautiful home … We have countless blessings … I know God has only good things in store and I am endlessly grateful for being here … there is just such a wonderful feeling here of hospitality.

In 2010, S. Joyce moved to Nazareth Living Center.

Associate Peggy Maguire describes her as:

A woman of quiet wisdom, a wonderful sense of humor and great love of God, her family and the community of sisters and associates. I remember her most for being a woman of gratitude.

Sister Maryellen Tierney says, “She was a gentle presence and was willing to help in any way she could … a wonderful example of a Sister of St. Joseph who lived simply and cared for others.”

By Sister Helen Oates