Joan Kogelman

Joan M. Kogelman, 79, passed peacefully in her sleep on March 19, 2025. Born to Louis C. and Dorothy (nee Peters) Kogelman on July 13th, 1945 in Allentown, PA. She graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School in 1963. She attended St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia, Graduating with an LPN in 1964. She utilized her degree to bring loving care to many people over the years. Her employers included Einstein ER, Police and Fire Health Department, Schmidt’s Brewery, Dr. Hampel, and Dr. Krettek. She often held 2 or 3 jobs at a time. However, she also devoted a lot of time caring for her father, her friends, her friends’ family members, and her neighbors. Joan felt the calling to become a nun, but followed her mother’s wishes and did not join the order. Instead, she volunteered with the Medical Mission Sisters, organizing retreats to the Elkins Park Estate, helping raise money for their mission and working in their secondhand shops. Her devotion was also to her friends the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer. Working at the Provincialate she was able to direct traffic and make friends with anyone who was within 20 feet of her! When she ran Bingo Night for the elder Sisters, Joan could often be found “cheating” to make sure everyone got a chance to be a winner. Joan had a curiosity about people and wanted to get to know everyone she was around whether a coworker, a neighbor, or the grocer. Joan enjoyed skiing and traveling having seen many European countries and Mexico with friends in and out of the nunnery.

Preceding her in death were her parents and brother, Joseph. Though never married she sometimes thought about the offer she turned down.

She leaves many friends who are grateful to have known her, enjoying her sense of humor and sense of outrage against injustices, and sense of duty to help anyone in need.

A funeral and celebration of her life will take place at Medical Mission Sisters at 8400 Pine Road, Philadelphia on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. 10:00 Prayers and Remembrance; 11:00 funeral mass with Fr. Dennis O’Donnell and vocals by Carrie Lessene.

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Donations may be made in remembrance of Joan to Medical Mission Sisters https://www.medicalmissionsisters.org/how-to-help/onlinepayment.html

or to the Sisters of the Redeemer at www.redeemersisters.org or by mail at SIsteres of the Redeemer, c/o Sr. Ellen Marvel, 1600 Huntingdon Pike, Meadowbrook, PA 19046