Sister June Puishys

SISTER M. JUNE PUISHYS, SSC
December 28, 1928 – June 7, 2023

Peter and Anna (Ackalitis) Puishys welcomed Helen Marie (Sister M. June) into their family on December 28, 1928, in Worcester, MA. She was the third born of seven children. She was baptized, made her first communion, and was confirmed in St. Casimir Church and attended St. Casimir School where she was taught by the Sisters of St. Casimir. She grew up with an older brother, Joseph, an older sister Dorothy, and four younger siblings: Anne (Sister Mary Lawrence), Mary June, Robert, and William.

Her sister Anne left home for the convent in Chicago in 1950 where she was soon to become Sister Mary Lawrence. Helen Marie, at the time had no interest in becoming a “nun” — she desired to become a nurse. After completing her high school education at Commerce High, she attended Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and received her RN – on the way to achieving her goal of becoming a nurse. She began working as a nurse at two Veteran Administration Hospitals in Massachusetts, but God had other plans for her. She began seeing convent life from a different perspective and the seeds of her vocation were planted. So, at the age of twenty-seven, having spent time in prayer and discernment, she concluded that God was calling her to a life of prayer and service to God and God’s people. She left home, with her nursing training behind her and some nursing experience, to enter the Sisters of St. Casimir at their Motherhouse in Chicago on January 6, 1956.

On August 15, 1958, Sister M. June made her first vows. Her life of ministry and service within the community began. After spending her first year of ministry serving the health needs of the Sisters at the Motherhouse as part-time infirmarian, she began studying part-time at DePaul University and in 1966 she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In 1959 she was asked to serve as a nurse at Holy Cross Hospital where she remained until 1993.

At Holy Cross Hospital, Sister M. June began working in the obstetrics department, lovingly caring for many newborn babies and their mothers. As she mentioned in her golden jubilee reflection: “It was such a joy to care for and nourish tiny infants and watch them grow and mature enough to be discharged home, after spending weeks, sometimes months under our care.” She remained in contact throughout the years with many babies she cared for in the nursery. In fact, two of her former “preemies” that she cared for in the Newborn Premature Nursery were present to celebrate her golden jubilee of religious profession with her in 2008.

In 1985 Sister M. June became the Assistant Director of Nursing Services. In 1988, she became the Director of Outpatient Services. From the Fall of 1992 until the end of 1993, she worked in Infection Control. Throughout her years at Holy Cross Hospital, Sister M. June formed lasting relationships with her patients and their families as well as her co-workers.

Before moving to the Motherhouse in 1995, she took a one-year sabbatical, getting much-needed rest and space for prayer and reflection. At the Motherhouse she served in the finance office, doing payroll at first, then adding human resources. While at the Motherhouse, Sister M. June and her friend, Sister Angeline, had the opportunity to connect with nature, including the birds, the squirrels, even a stray dog. She made sure they were all well-fed and were kept safe. Once a few goslings hatched on the roof and learned to fly off the roof. Sister M. June escorted the parent geese and their goslings to Marquette Park, so they could arrive safely. Of course, she had plenty of practice with birds. She kept two parakeets in her room, allowing the birds to live well by eating and flying freely as she enjoyed their presence.

In 2014, Sister M. June moved from the Motherhouse to Franciscan Village in Lemont, IL, where she continued her ministry of prayer and presence.

Sister was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Anna Ackalitis Puishys, her brothers Joseph, Robert, and William Puishys, her sisters Dorothy Giles and Mary June Turner, and her niece Jane Puishys and nephew Ralph, Turner, III.

Sister M. June is survived by her sister, Sister Mary Lawrence Puishys, her nieces and nephews, June, Joseph, Jr., Rachel, Elizabeth, Nancy, Donna, Robert, Jr., Ellen, William, Jr., and Stephen, as well as grandnieces and grandnephews.

Living member of Sister M. June’s Profession Class:
Sister Marilyn Karpovich

She is also survived by the Sisters of St. Casimir

Visitation, Wake Service, Mass of the Resurrection

Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Franciscan Village Chapel
1270 Village Drive
Lemont, IL 60439

Visitation: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Wake Service: 11:00 a.m.
Mass of the Resurrection: 11:30 a.m.
Celebrant: Rev. Bob Lucas, CM
Interment: Saint Casimir Cemetery
Funeral Services: Palos-Gaidas Funeral Home