Sister John Joseph Dunphy, C.S.J., a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, L.I., for 74 years, died July 21 at Maria Regina Residence in Brentwood.
Born Sarah Sabina Dunphy, she entered the congregation in 1940 from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sunset Park. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Manhattan College; a master’s degree in guidance from Fordham University; and certification in administration/ supervision in 1977.
She taught at Immaculate Conception, Jamaica, 1942-44; Transfiguration, Williamsburg, 1944-46; St. Ambrose, Bushwick, 1946-48 and 1963-65; St. Malachy, East New York, 1948-51; St. Mary Star of the Sea, Far Rockaway, 1951-55; St. Brendan, Midwood, 1955-56; St. Christopher, Baldwin, L.I., 1956-58; St. Rita, L.I.C., 1958-63; St. Anthony of Padua, Greenpoint, 1965-1971; St. Augustine, Fort Greene, 1971-78; St. Joseph H.S., Downtown Brooklyn, 1978-84, 1999-2009; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help H.S., Sunset Park, 1997-99.
She served as a guidance counselor at Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, 1984-97 and 2009-12.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Athanasius, Bensonhurst. Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery, Brentwood.
Sister John Joseph was my freshman- and sophomore-year guidance counselor at Bishop Kearney H.S. and she was probably the happiest nun I ever met in my life. I didn’t know religious life could be so joyful until I met Sister John Joseph. She always had a hug and a smile (and a few Tootsie Rolls) for every student who crossed her path. She made everyone feel like they were special, like they mattered and that they were loved (by her and God). I can only imagine the hugs, smiles and Tootsie Rolls that God had waiting for her!
The Manhattan College alumni community shares the grief, and is now praying for our fellow alumni and the family at this time. The Alumni Office has been informed. As well as the Jasper Jottings community that I personally can reach. We are all a little poorer now. “No man is an island, entire of itself … any manʼs death diminishes me”. We are sorry for your loss.
This is a memory I have of Sister John. I went to St. Anthony of Padua and she was my 8th grade teacher…………………I was just thinking about a nun I had in 8th grade named Sister John Joseph. She had a talent for always coming up with a poem or phrase to fit something we did or didn’t do in class. I wasn’t normally a trouble maker, but even that young, I would analyze what was said and try to make sense of it. One day she asked for the homework to be passed to her and noticed that I didn’t pass anything. She never missed a thing. “Oh, Miss Bourke, why haven’t you handed in your homework?” she asked with affected sweetness. I stammered, “I’m sorry, Sister, I forgot to pack it. I will bring it tomorrow” She suddenly burst out in a very loud sing song voice, reciting this verse, “Tomorrow, tomorrow the lazy man cried, I’ll take up my work with a vim!, tomorrow, tomorrow the lazy man died. His work is still waiting for him!” She then asked me, “So, what do you think of that?” I thought for a minute and then replied, “So, I guess there really was no point for him to do the work anyway since he died the next day.” She turned a few shades of red and then gave me detention.”……………………………….She was my very favorite teacher of my entire education. She helped get me into the high school of my choice after I had been denied. I was always so grateful to her. God Bless her always.