HOME / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Who was Joan Eileen Butler? Retired NJ nun, 88, who died in car crash remembered as a 'positive spirit'

The deceased nun had continued to serve even after her retirement and lived out the last of her days in the convent she served at

GARDEN STATE PARKWAY, NEW JERSEY: A retired Essex County nun was identified as the driver who was tragically killed in a car crash on Saturday, December 10, on the Garden State Parkway. Sister Joan Eileen Butler had continued to volunteer her services even after her retirement. She hailed from West Orange and was killed in the car crash that happened at around 10:45 am.

Butler, 88, was born in Jersey City and dedicated herself to the sisterhood in September 1955. According to a report by NJ, she was a member of the Sisters of Charity for 67 years and spent decades teaching students at Catholic schools in the state; Butler also worked as a nurses’ aide for facilities in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

READ MORE

Elderly brothers killed in car crash in front of California donut shop they'd been eating at for 20 years

Zakariya Rahim: Teen dies in horrific car crash during outing with friend days before 18th birthday

According to information from the investigation, Butler had stopped her car, a Ford, in the southbound lanes near milepost 120.5 in Aberdeen. She had crashed into another vehicle when she tried to drive across multiple lanes. Butler was taken to the Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel and was pronounced dead immediately. The driver of the other vehicle, a Lexis NX SUV, that Butler crashed into has survived, and has only sustained minor injuries. New Jersey State Police has announced that the incident continues to remain under investigation.

Butler is said to have gone to College of Saint Elizabeth and is a recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree. She served as a teacher at the Saint Peter Elementary School in New Brunswick, Our Lady of Grace School in Hoboken and Our Lady of Lourdes School in West Orange. She retired in 2006 and continued to live at the Our Lady of Lourdes Convent until she moved back to the Convent of Saint Elizabeth, where she lived out the rest of her days. She is survived by her sister Gloria Giaimo and many nieces, nephews and other family members.

“Sister Joan Eileen had an uplifting and positive spirit. Her quick-witted manner brought laughter to those around her,” her obituary says. “She had great generosity and was always ready to help anyone in need.” A funeral service is being held for the deceased in Holy Family Chapel, Convent Road. A Christian burial will follow right after the service.