Sister Maureen Smith
November 27, 1935 –
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Sister Maureen Smith, O.S.F., was born Nov. 27, 1935, and departed this life Aug. 15, 2021, in the 67th year of her religious life.
Maureen Alice Smith was the 16th of 18 children born to parents, John and Mabel (Scott) Smith, on November 27, 1935. The family lived on a farm five miles south of Sumner, Iowa. Maureen attended a one room schoolhouse with one teacher who taught all eight grades. She always enjoyed going to school; she was often the only one in her grade and could proceed at her own speed. In 1948, Maureen, her sister Arlene and their youngest brother Franklin were invited by the priest at Immaculate Conception parish in Fairbanks, Iowa, to attend the Catholic school. There she completed her seventh and eighth grade education. Maureen did not go to high school immediately as it was not required. Instead, she stayed at home to help with the farm chores. In 1953 her parents sent her to Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque, Iowa, to begin her high school education.
On August 25, 1954, Maureen entered the Dubuque Franciscan community along with her sister Arlene. They joined four of their sisters already in the community: Veronica (Sister Robertine), Mable (Sister Valentine), Delores, (Sister Vincent) and Marcella (Sister Theodore). On August 12 the following year, Maureen was received into the community and given the name Sister Mary Barbara Ann.
In the fall of 1959 Sister was assigned to teach in Iowa at St. Mary's in Manchester, followed by Sacred Heart; Dubuque; and St. Mary's, Waterloo. She ended her teaching career in 1970 and spent eight weeks learning Spanish so she could begin working full time with the migrant farm worker population at the East Coast Migrant Ministry. She continued in this ministry until 1991 when she accepted a position at Our Lady of Quadalupe, Wimauma, Florida. She later worked with the Redlands Migrant Association in Ruskin, Florida. Because migrant farm workers traveled throughout little rural communities, so did Maureen. She looked at this as a challenge and quickly found no strangers, as she was outgoing and greatly enjoyed meeting new people. After 16 tomato seasons, Sister Maureen found herself in Charleston, South Carolina.
Throughout her ministry Sister assisted migrant families in West Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Alabama, New Jersey and New York.
Sister Maureen retired to Dubuque in November 2010 after 40 years of both challenging and magnificent ministry with the migratory farm worker population. After a year of living at Mount St. Francis, she realized this was not a place to retire but rather a place to get re-cycled. Soon she became a part-time phone/receptionist staff member in September of 2011.
Sister is survived by her sisters-in-law, Alice Smith, Rita Smith and Shayla (Smith) Milbrandt; nieces; nephews; and her Franciscan sisters.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Marcella (John) McGuigan, Mary Smith, Delores Smith, OSF, Mary Valentine, OSF, Arlene Smith, OSF, and Mary Robertine, OSF; and her brothers, Harold (Marcella) Smith, Benjamin Smith, Rev. Robert Smith, Theodore (Dorothy) Smith, Valentine (Jean) Smith, James (Mary) Smith, Thomas Smith, Norbert (Eileen) Smith, Franklin Smith, John H. Smith Jr. and Joseph Smith.
Sister Maureen Smith, O.S.F., was born Nov. 27, 1935, and departed this life Aug. 15, 2021, in the 67th year of her religious life.
Maureen Alice Smith was the 16th of 18 children born to parents, John and Mabel (Scott) Smith, on November 27, 1935. The family lived on a farm five miles south of Sumner, Iowa. Maureen attended a one room schoolhouse with one teacher who taught all eight grades. She always enjoyed going to school; she was often the only one in her grade and could proceed at her own speed. In 1948, Maureen, her sister Arlene and their youngest brother Franklin were invited by the priest at Immaculate Conception parish in Fairbanks, Iowa, to attend the Catholic school. There she completed her seventh and eighth grade education. Maureen did not go to high school immediately as it was not required. Instead, she stayed at home to help with the farm chores. In 1953 her parents sent her to Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque, Iowa, to begin her high school education.
On August 25, 1954, Maureen entered the Dubuque Franciscan community along with her sister Arlene. They joined four of their sisters already in the community: Veronica (Sister Robertine), Mable (Sister Valentine), Delores, (Sister Vincent) and Marcella (Sister Theodore). On August 12 the following year, Maureen was received into the community and given the name Sister Mary Barbara Ann.
In the fall of 1959 Sister was assigned to teach in Iowa at St. Mary's in Manchester, followed by Sacred Heart; Dubuque; and St. Mary's, Waterloo. She ended her teaching career in 1970 and spent eight weeks learning Spanish so she could begin working full time with the migrant farm worker population at the East Coast Migrant Ministry. She continued in this ministry until 1991 when she accepted a position at Our Lady of Quadalupe, Wimauma, Florida. She later worked with the Redlands Migrant Association in Ruskin, Florida. Because migrant farm workers traveled throughout little rural communities, so did Maureen. She looked at this as a challenge and quickly found no strangers, as she was outgoing and greatly enjoyed meeting new people. After 16 tomato seasons, Sister Maureen found herself in Charleston, South Carolina.
Throughout her ministry Sister assisted migrant families in West Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Alabama, New Jersey and New York.
Sister Maureen retired to Dubuque in November 2010 after 40 years of both challenging and magnificent ministry with the migratory farm worker population. After a year of living at Mount St. Francis, she realized this was not a place to retire but rather a place to get re-cycled. Soon she became a part-time phone/receptionist staff member in September of 2011.
Sister is survived by her sisters-in-law, Alice Smith, Rita Smith and Shayla (Smith) Milbrandt; nieces; nephews; and her Franciscan sisters.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Marcella (John) McGuigan, Mary Smith, Delores Smith, OSF, Mary Valentine, OSF, Arlene Smith, OSF, and Mary Robertine, OSF; and her brothers, Harold (Marcella) Smith, Benjamin Smith, Rev. Robert Smith, Theodore (Dorothy) Smith, Valentine (Jean) Smith, James (Mary) Smith, Thomas Smith, Norbert (Eileen) Smith, Franklin Smith, John H. Smith Jr. and Joseph Smith.