In Memoriam

We Remember

Sister Joan Leo Kehn

Sister Alice Riegel, OP (1937-2025)

Four years after Leo John Kehn and his wife, Mabel Frances King, were married in Toledo, Ohio, the first of their two children entered the world, a daughter they named Barbara Lou.

Barbara was born on February 21, 1937, in Toledo, and was baptized three weeks later at Gesu Church, where her parents were members at the time. The Kehns’ second child, Judith Ann, arrived fourteen months after her sister.

Leo grew up in Toledo and worked on the railroad for a while before becoming a tool and die maker at City Auto Stamping, where he worked for thirty-four years. Mabel was born in nearby Perrysburg, came to Toledo to attend high school at Notre Dame Academy, and worked as a secretary at Auburn Motors until she and Leo married.

Both Kehn children attended Blessed Sacrament School and then Notre Dame Academy for high school. In Sister Joan Leo’s autobiography, she wrote at length about her very devout family home, where prayer was a daily practice. When the children got home from school each day, they would find their mother in her rocking chair saying the rosary, which became a family rosary and, later on, a weekly “Block Rosary” because other families in the neighborhood gathered in the Kehn home to pray.

It was “a very nurturing and happy home,” Sister Joan Leo wrote. Her parents were always interested in what had happened at school each day, and Mabel became a Brownie leader when her daughters got into Scouting.

Vigil and Funeral Recordings

Note: To view recordings with closed captioning, they must be viewed on our public video library rather than through the links below.

Recording of Sister Joan Leo's Vigil Service - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

Recording of Sister Joan Leo's Funeral Mass - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

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Showing 3 Comments

Peggy Dattilo 2 days agoReply

Like many others, my love and affection for Sister Joan ran deep. I met her in 1974 when we were both teaching at Saint Anne’s in West Palm Beach. That year she was also my son‘s first grade teacher.I remember thinking how down to earth she was and what fun she was. Not the picture I always held of a nun while attending Catholic schools throughout my life. She ran marathons well passed her 70th birthday, and the first time I saw her she was wearing a two-piece bathing suit! She used to love on a Friday afternoon to stop by the local hotel for a cocktail before I would take her back to the convent. When I moved to California and would come back to visit in West Palm, I would take her out someplace fancy for dinner. And she loved that. There was a little French restaurant she especially liked. We kept in touch throughout our lives. And I always loved getting her Christmas card with the latest news. I knew she was in Michigan, but did not know that she passed until last year when my Christmas card didn’t arrive. Sister Joan was one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. And I admired her ever so much. May she rest in peace in the loving arms of our Lord.
Peggy Dattilo

John and Toni Ferrara 11 months agoReply

We will miss all of Sister's goodies she would send on holiday, birthday or any other time of year she wanted to share. She was so special.
Love John and Toni

Molly Behm 11 months agoReply

Sister Joan was my good friend for over twenty years. She was with me in good times and bad. She loved going out to eat and talk for three hours straight without taking a breath.
I will miss her dearly but I know she went straight to heaven.
RIP, my dear friend.🙏

Molly Behm

Tagged With: Barbara Kehn, Sister Joan Leo Kehn / 2074 Views

Cemetery of the Adrian Dominican Sisters

Our Adrian Dominican cemetery with its circular headstones is a beautiful place of rest for women who gave their lives in service to God — and a peaceful place for contemplation and remembrance.