Sister of Mercy Johanna Burnell boosted Mercy, struggling school families

Sister of Mercy Johanna Burnell gave Mercy High School a needed boost at a critical point for the all-girl school in Omaha.

When Sister Johanna became the school’s first president in 1988, “it was a challenging time,” the Sisters of Mercy wrote. “Mercy High was in danger of closing.”

But the new president was an innovator, laying a foundation for more strategic leadership, recruiting business leaders and alumnae to the school’s board of directors, increasing development and fundraising activities and revamping a negotiated tuition program, the religious community said.

Sister Johanna “spearheaded three capital campaigns, raising over $13 million to expand and enhance our campus,” according to a Mercy High School social media post. “Thanks to her leadership, we now have the addition of a gymnasium & weight room, Franey Hall, and an increased endowment – a legacy that will serve Mercy for generations to come.”

Sister Johanna, who died March 28, is being remembered fondly as “a no-nonsense and kind-hearted educator.” She was 86.

A vigil service was set for 7 p.m. Friday, April 4, at John A. Gentleman Mortuaries-72nd Street Chapel at 1010 N. 72nd St. in Omaha.

A funeral Mass was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Mercy High School, 1501 S. 48th St., followed by a 1:30 p.m. burial service at Resurrection Cemetery, 7800 West Center Road in Omaha.

Visitation and the funeral Mass will be livestreamed.

To numerous Mercy High School families, Sister Johanna was a Godsend.

The negotiated tuition allowed hundreds of families to send their daughters to Mercy, families who otherwise couldn’t afford the education. The program has been described as “a morally just, confidential, individual covenant between Mercy and each family, respecting each family’s needs and income, and providing equal access.”

In short, Sister Johanna made sure no student was turned away because of financial difficulties.

Though she retired as Mercy’s president in 2009, her revamped negotiated tuition program has endured.

In 2020, the high school gave her its highest honor, the Cor Misericordiae Award, in recognition of her legacy and commitment to the education of women.

Sister Johanna also served as development director for Mercy Volunteer Corps and was a member of the Mercy Secondary Education Association and other community committees and work groups, the Sisters of Mercy said.

She held positions on the boards of College of Saint Mary in Omaha and Mount Saint Mary Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Sister Johanna – who was born in Kansas City and named Rita Imelda by her parents – became acquainted with the Sisters of Mercy when they taught her in elementary and high school.

Five years after graduating from high school, she traveled to Omaha to enter the religious community, receiving the name Sister Johanna.

An educator for more than 60 years, she served Catholic schools in Nebraska and Missouri. She was associate superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Kansas City.

As president of Mercy, she shared leadership with then-Principal Carolyn Jaworski.

After retirement, Sister Johanna kept in touch with students and their families and continued to support Mercy High School’s mission, her religious community said.

“Though she is no longer with us, her spirit and the Mercy values she lived by will remain in our hearts forever,” Mercy High School posted online.