Dominican Sister of Peace Mary Giovanni Cody (Patricia Ann) (86) died September 14, 2022, at the Philadelphia Protestant Home in Philadelphia, PA. She was born January February 4, 1936, in Philadelphia, PA, the beloved only child of Raymond and Helen Jurkofsky Cody.
Prior to entering religious life, she graduated from St. Boniface Business School in Philadelphia, PA, and worked in business for 10 years.
She entered the Dominican Sisters community in 1962 and pronounced vows in 1964. Known fondly as Sister Gio, she served God and God’s people as a Dominican Sister for 58 years,
She began her service to the Church at the Fatima Retreat House in Indiana. During this time, she obtained a CCD Certificate and a Gabriel Richard Leadership Certificate and taught CCD classes at the retreat house. In her next ministry, she cared for the elderly sisters at St. Catherine Hall in Elkins Park, PA. This experience led her to her vocation as a nurse. In 1980 she entered the School of Practical Nursing at the Presbyterian University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and ministered there as a GPN/LPN for the next 20 years.
In 2000 Sister Gio retired from nursing and began her family, neighborhood, and prayer ministry. She cared for those around her with the same love and affection that she gave to her patients. One of the things that she enjoyed was walking, and no doubt talking, with friends and neighbors. She also enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, and watching her beloved Phillies. No doubt, she will be cheering for them from on high.
One of Gio’s favorite hymns was “Be Not Afraid”. This should not surprise us since she was not afraid to answer God’s call sixty years ago. She was not afraid to change ministries so that she could find those she could best serve. And she was not afraid to face death because she knew she “would see the face of God and live.”
Sister Mary Giovanni was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her aunt, Teresa (Jurkofsky) Cantz, many first and second cousins, and the Dominican Sisters of Peace.
Visitation and the Funeral Mass were held Friday, September 23 at St. Anne’s Church in Philadelphia, PA. Sr. Mary Giovanni’s place and time of interment will be announced at a later date.
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Memorial gifts in Sr. Giovanni Cody’s memory may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Mission Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr. Columbus, OH 43219 or oppeace.org.