Justine Emmerence Pena

PEÑA, Justine E. passed on December 28, 2024. Age 94. Beloved wife of the late Carlos J. Peña for 52 cherished years. Survived by several loving cousins and friends. Justine was a proud middle school teacher for Warren Consolidated Schools for 20 years. Justine Emmerence (Bishop) Peña was born on May 22, 1930 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She was raised by her mother, Hattie, and grandparents in Hamtramck, Michigan and attended elementary school at St. John Evangelist on E. Grand Boulevard in Detroit. As a child she skated just about every evening in the park on Joseph Campau and enjoyed a wonderful childhood in that Polish community. For high school, Justine pursued her religious studies at Maria Immaculata Academy in Wilmette, Illinois along with her hometown friend Florence. The school’s main purpose was to be an admissions point for those young females who wished to become aspirants (high-school-aged girls “desiring to enter religious life”) or had aspirations of joining the Sisters’ community. Justine joined the Sisters of Christian Charity upon graduation and studied at DePaul University - Chicago. She taught in Chaska, Minnesota, and at Marywood Academy in Folsom, LA among other places. During her post-graduate work at St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO, for health reasons, she decided to renounce her vows and left the order. She often spoke of the special memories and friendships that were formed at the Academy and teaching as a SCC sister. When Justine came back to Michigan, she continued her passion for education and retired from Warren Consolidated Schools where she connected with many lifelong friends. Justine married Carlos Jose Peña (her ‘Charlie Joe’) on August 5, 1972 after meeting through an international dinner club. Carlos immigrated to the US from Santa Clara, Cuba and they shared a loving marriage for 52 years. Carlos sadly passed in June this year and they were able to stay in their Warren home thanks to the love and support of their caring neighbors. Throughout her career, she taught everything from kindergarten through adult education. Teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) to adults was most powerful because those students gave her an appreciation of the freedoms she had as an American. She said her students and her husband Carlos made her understand more fully what freedom really was and what freedom really means. The reward of teaching was seeing her students become lawyers, doctors, deacons, and “generally good people”. She always enjoyed writing, and after 9/11/01 she started writing again and self-published several books of her own thoughts and poetry. She loved all types of candy and was fascinated by the beauty of high heeled shoes though she never wore them. About her name. Back in the 1930s Shirley Temple was ‘the’ cute child star; lots of girls were named Shirley. When Justine asked her mom why she was given her name, Hattie told her that while in the hospital giving birth to her, she read about the death of a very holy nun, Sister Justina Emmerencia. Justine often said “Life isn’t what you expect it to be, but you can still find happiness”. Instate Thursday, Jan 2, 2025 at 9:30 am until time of 10:00 am mass at St. Mark Parish, 4401 Bart, Warren. Private interment, St. Clement Cemetery, Center Line. Memorials may be made in Justine’s honor to the American Diabetes Association. Please share memories with the family at their online guestbook at WujekCalcaterra.com.

Justine Emmerence Pena

May 22, 1930 - December 28, 2024