Sister Joan Wales, Op

Obituary Sister Joan Wales, OP (Sister Mary Harold), 87, died, peacefully on July 27 at St. Joseph's Residence in Seattle where she had resided for the last several years. She was born in Seattle, Washington to Clara and Harold Wales, the second of four children. In 1937 the family moved to Ellensburg to run the Webster Hotel family business. Sister Joan attended Lourdes Academy in Ellensburg where she had the Tacoma Dominican Sisters as teachers. Her great aunt, Sister Mary Lourdina was also a Tacoma Dominican and was influential in her decision to enter the Dominican Community. After graduation from Ellensburg High School, she traveled to New York City. After returning to the Northwest, she went to work at Boeing in Seattle. In 1950 after a trip to Rome for the Holy Year, Sr. Joan entered the Tacoma Dominican Community. Following her profession of vows, Sr Joan began a ministry of teaching for 33 years in Washington and California. Her last teaching ministry was at St. Joseph's School in Yakima, WA. After retiring from teaching, she returned to Ellensburg to care for her mother and to work for the Department of Social and Health Services caring for the disabled. For a number of years, she cared for her good friend Angel. She also volunteered at St. Andrew's as a Eucharistic Minister and at Ellensburg Hospital and for Senior Services. Always athletic, Sr. Joan loved to bicycle. She also learned clog dancing, something she did with gusto while living in Ellensburg and before her knee surgery. In her spare time, Sr. Joan enjoyed crocheting, painting and making and fixing rosaries to distribute to friends and parishioners. Sister Joan graduated from Holy Names College in Spokane, WA. Sister Joan was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Harold (Hal) and Bill and her sister Duane Jones. She is survived by her sister Shirlie Hoctor (Richard) and many nephews and nieces. There will be a funeral Mass at St. Joseph Residence on Tuesday, August 1 at 11:00 AM. Sr. Joan had requested to be buried in Ellensburg in the family plot. There will also be a Mass on Thursday, August 3, at 1:00 PM at St. Andrew Church followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery (both in Ellensburg). Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home