Sr. Barbara Lee Marshall

Sr. Barbara Lee Marshall passed away at Mercy Hospice House on August 28, 2017, after a courageous battle against cancer.

Sr. Barbara was born June 23, 1939, in Maquoketa, Iowa, to Laurence and Rita Marshall. She graduated from Calamus High School and obtained her teaching certificate from Mount St. Clare College in Clinton, Iowa. While at Mount St. Clare, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis. She obtained her BA in education from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. During her teaching years, she taught at various schools in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and California.

She later obtained her Master’s in social work from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Upon graduation, she worked in a pilot program introducing mental health professionals in the Peoria school systems. She later moved to Des Moines and worked at Catholic Charities. She then helped develop the program of child and family counseling in the Des Moines school systems as well developing the first guidance program in the Des Moines area. She also taught classes in parental training and did counseling in the schools.

Sr. Barbara then transitioned to parish ministry as a pastoral associate at St. Boniface in Waukee, Iowa, and at St. John in Adel, Iowa. She then worked in a residential treatment facility for children. Barbara returned to education in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was involved in a serious car accident. The accident left her with a reconstructed back and a new appreciation for life.

In 1990, she returned to the Des Moines area in the pastoral care ministry at Christ the King Church where she served for nine years. The next four years were spent serving family needs in a funeral home. She then returned to the pastoral care ministry at St. Theresa’s for another nine years. She retired from this work to care for an elderly mother and her long-time companion, Sister Shirley. Moving to Mercy Park Apartments gave her the opportunity to continue to minister to the elderly through bible study and communion ministry.

Those left to honor her memory include siblings, Alan (Linda) Marshall of Cascade, Iowa, Eileen (Dave) Trost of Bellevue, Iowa, and Diane (Dave) Noll of Le Claire, Iowa; a sister-in law, Elaine Tubbs of Maquoketa, Iowa; nieces and nephews; and countless others whose lives she has touched. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Kenneth Marshall; and a nephew, Tyler Noll.

Services will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1230 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, IA on Monday, September 4, 2017 with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. and the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Sr. Barbara will be burial at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Catholic Relief Services, 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309; Mercy Hospice, 5820 Winwood Dr., Johnston, IA 50131 or to St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1230 Merle Hay Rd., Des Moines, IA 50311. Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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