Sister Barbara Misner
Barbara Misner was born in Jackson, Michigan, on April 14, 1931, to Frances and Madge (Mee) Misner. The family included four brothers.
Sister Barbara attended Our Lady of the Holy Cross High School in Merrill, WI, before joining the Holy Cross Sisters. She said her first contact with the sisters was at the age of 10 when the family visited her aunt, Sister Lucy Mee, in Merrill. Sister Lucy “invited” her to become a Holy Cross Sister in the summer of 1946. She said, “I was not sure of my own personal professional goals, especially whether I should be a missionary or not, and decided that a community that had all the possibilities would be a good choice,” Sister said in an earlier interview.
Sister Barbara earned a BS degree in education from Alverno College, Milwaukee, an MA in history from Xavier University, Cincinnati, and a PhD. in American Church History from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. She also earned a certificate from the Introduction to Modern Archives Administration, American University at the National Archives
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Sister Barbara was an elementary teacher in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Ohio. She did catechetical work in Mercer, WI; taught History at Menard Junior College, Merrill, WI; did archival work for the archdiocese of Cincinnati; the dioceses of LaCrosse, WI; Great Falls, MT; Madison, WI; and was archivist for the School Sisters of St. Francis, Milwaukee, for 6 years. She was also part-time archivist for St. Norbert Abbey, DePere, WI, and for the Holy Cross Sisters, Merrill. She wrote the history of the Holy Cross Sisters, completing the first two volumes.
Sister Barbara and her aunt Sister Lucy Mee
Sister Barbara entered Holy Cross Convent on August 2, 1948, and made her First Profession on August 24, 1950. Sister is retired and makes her home at St. Joseph’s Convent, Campbellsport, WI.
