By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
Sister Josephine Marie Melican, 88, a Sister of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, served in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Miami, and other dioceses in Florida. She also served in administrative roles in hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare ministries. She died July 16, 2024.
ST AUGUSTINE| Sister Josephine Marie Melican, a Sister of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, died on July 16, 2024. Born on May 5, 1936, in San Diego, California, and named Dorothy, she and her family moved to Jacksonville in 1950. A graduate of Bishop Kenny High School, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1954. During her novitiate in Jensen Beach, Florida, she received the name Sister Josephine Marie, which she kept for the rest of her life.
Sister Josephine Marie served as a teacher in Catholic schools in St. Petersburg, Hollywood, Miami, and St. Augustine. From 1962 to 1964 she served as principal and a teacher at St. Benedict the Moor School in St. Augustine. From 1965 to 1969 she taught at Immaculata High School, Miami.
After earning her master’s degree in gerontology at Columbia University, New York, she served 10 years in administration at All Saints Nursing Home in Jacksonville (1971-1981). From 1981 to 1985 she was Director of Religious Affairs at Mercy Hospital, Miami, and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Other ministries included parish ministry, health care ministry at Florida Manor, Orlando, and administrator of Lourdes Hall, St. Augustine. In 2016 she retired to Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in St. Augustine with a ministry of prayer.
A vigil service was held on July 18, at the Motherhouse chapel of the Sisters of St. Joseph, in St. Augustine. The funeral liturgy was celebrated on July 19, in the Motherhouse, with interment at San Lorenzo Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Sisters of St. Joseph, P.O. Box 3506, St. Augustine, FL 32085.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, the only congregation of Catholic apostolic women religious headquartered in Northeast Florida, have served the people in Florida continuously since 1866. Their mission is to foster unity and reconciliation in service of the Dear Neighbor. They currently serve in St. Augustine, Miami, and Jacksonville in a variety of ministries.
For more information, contact Sister Carol Stovall, SSJ, at (904)826-7364.
