The Chancellor’s Office received the news that Sister Barbara Jean Rosswurm, CSA, former Faith Formation Director at St. Paul Parish, Tampa, passed away on June 5, 2025, at her congregation’s motherhouse, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Barbara Jean was born August 2, 1937, in New Haven, Indiana, the daughter of Glenn and Lucille Krick Rosswurm. She and her eight siblings treasured the memories of growing up together and remained a closely knit family. Inspired by her elementary teachers, the Sisters of St. Agnes, Barbara Jean entered St. Agnes Convent after 8th grade with the support of her parents who taught her not just to have faith, but to live it. 

Sister earned her BS in Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and received certificates in Apostolic Spirituality and Religious Education throughout her years as a teacher, Director of Religious Education, and pastoral minister. Her first ministry assignment as a House Parent at Holy Family Orphanage, Marquette, Michigan. She went on to teach elementary grade classes and religious education classes for 15 years in Catholic Schools in New York, Pennsylvania, and at St. Louis Elementary School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (1968-1973).

Beginning in 1973, Sister Barbara Jean accepted positions as the Director of Religious Education in parishes in Kansas, Indiana, and Florida. She was greatly respected and beloved in these parishes for her leadership and ability to shape genuinely inspiring and effective religious education programs. While serving as the DRE at St. Joseph’s Parish in Hays, Kansas, Sister recognized the need for children who were developmentally disabled to be included in the parish community. She learned of the REACH program (Religious Education and Activities for the Community Handicapped) and implemented this program very successfully in the parish. She initiated the REACH program at St. Joseph Parish in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and at the parishes she served in Florida. She was honored for her determined and compassionate commitment to shaping this program for each parish she served.

Sister suffered from severe arthritis for many years of her life which led her to seek the warmer climate of Florida to ease some of the pain (1983 – 2018). Along with her DRE ministry in several parishes, she also spent time in pastoral roles including being named an Advocate for the Diocese of Palm Beach for marriage annulments. 

In January of 2018, Sister returned to Fond du Lac to join her community of sisters at the CSA retirement facility, Nazareth Court and Center. She faithfully participated in the life of the community and received loving care until the time of her death.

Sister Barbara Jean was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Stanley, Edwin, and Richard, her sisters Dorothy Nichter, Lois Emenhiser, Rosemary Rosswurm, and Nancy Hauser.

Sister is survived by her sister Linda (Jim) Eastman, her sister-in-law Mary Ann Rosswurm, her nieces, nephews, their families, and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Services for Sister Barbara Jean will be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, followed with burial at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

Complete obituary at this link:  https://www.zacherlfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Sister-Barbara-Jean-Rosswurm-Csa.

Please keep Sister Rosswurm and her family in your thoughts and prayers!

++++
May her soul and the souls of all the faithful
departed, by the mercy of God, rest in peace!