Joan was from Merritt Island Florida. She had been married and had a daughter Charlene who was the “light of her life.”
Joan Throm was a woman of deep faith, high energy and great compassion. She definitely had a disciple’s heart. From an early age at 14 she was called to serve others as a Franciscan Sister of St. Joseph near Buffalo, NY. A true daughter of St. Francis, Joan had a great love of creation, and was driven by a deep awareness of God’s love for her which nurtured her desire to serve others.
Because of her calling Joan pursued ordination as an interfaith minister leading worship services both at a LGBT church in Coco, Fl., as well as Courtenay Springs where she lived in an Independent Living Facility.
By profession, Joan was a nurse. She also facilitated grief support groups for thirteen years. She enjoyed teaching art journaling, volunteering as an usher at the Coco Village Playhouse, the Brevard Zoo and King Center Preforming Arts. Joan was an avid swimmer and like the energizer bunny never seemed to run out of energy. She started a recycling program where she lived, and loved road trips in a huge camping van. Joan was a care giver to those who needed her and would drive people to doctor’s appointments or field trips. She had a passion for God and a passion for people.
Joan contacted ARCWP in 2014 and began her journey with us to ordination. She was ordained a priest in January 2016. Joan expressed to her daughter how important her ordination was to her. She said: “Charlene, you are the light of my life and I love you more than words could ever express. I look at my ordination as akin to the day I held you in my arms after giving you birth. It is right up there with my wedding day to your dad, the day of my religious profession of vows and the day of getting my doctorate Degree becoming Dr. Mom. With all my heart, I desire to love and serve God and others with my whole being.” And our gracious God says, “Come my beloved continue to serve me through ordination to the priesthood.”
One of Joan’s proudest moments in ministry came when she presided over her daughter’s wedding to her life partner Cathy.