Kalamazoo County MI Archives Obituaries.....Barrett, Elsie Elizabeth February 24, 2007
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Kalamazoo Gazette (MI)  Feb. 24, 2007
Among nun's teaching stops were Barbour Hall, St. Monica

Even before she became a member of the congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph, 
Sister Augustine Barrett was preparing to become a nun.

She provided a hand to the sisters in the congregation so they could assist in 
the care of those who had fallen victim to an influenza epidemic.

"As a young girl, she would help them by doing their dishes so they coulde bo 
back to caring for the sick," said Sister Patricia Roy, director of spiritual 
services for the SSJ congregation.  "She helped them out in a lot of ways by 
doing some of the work that she could do."

Sister Barrett, who died at Borgess Nursing Home on Feb. 17 at the age of 99, 
went on to become a teacher of nearly 50 years after entering the SSJ 
congregation in 1925.

Named Elsie Elizabeth Barrett when she was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., on 
May 23, 1907, Sister Barrett lived most of her life in Kalamazoo and was a 
member of St. Augustine Church in downtown Kalamazoo at the time she entered 
the SSJ congregation.  In 1926, she received the name Sister Augustine at her 
reception.

Sister Barrett earned a bachelor's degree from Nazareth College and a master's 
degree in education from Marquette University.

Among her stops as a teacher and school administrator were the former Barbour 
Hall Acadmey for boys at Nazareh, where she taught from 1934 until 1952.

After teaching elsewhere in the state for the next 18 years, she returned to 
Kalamazoo in 1970 and taught at St. Monica School until she retired from 
teaching in 1978.

"She could be a tough taskmaster, but she was always fair," Sister Roy said.

From teaching, Sister Barrett went to Nazareth College, where she worked in 
the alumni and records office until 1984.  She also assisted with the book 
cart and religious services for inmates at Kalamazoo County Jail.

"Red hair, freckled face, twinkling eyes, and a real mischievous grin - I 
think that's kind of Irish," Sister Roy said in describing Sister 
Barrett.  "She was proud ... of her Irish heritage."

Sister Barrett is survived by a sister-in-loaw, Helen Barrett, of Kalamazoo, 
along with nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Friday followed by burial in Gate of 
Heaven Cemetery, both at Nazareth.

Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes handled arrangements.

Additional Comments:
Dave Person dpersn@kalamazoogazette.com
388-8555

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