FORT SMITH — Sister Barbara Schroeder,

OSB, 91, of St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith, Ark., died on Dec. 27, 2020. She had been a professed sister for 72 years. Sister Barbara (Therese Elizabeth) was born April 21, 1929 in Windthorst, Texas, to her parents, Bernard and Sophia (Humpert) Schroeder.

Drawn to the Benedictine way of life she entered St. Scholastica Monastery at an early age and after finishing high school, she attended Avila College, in Kansas City, Mo., where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Sister Barbara taught for 47 years in parochial schools in Arkansas — Barling, Lake Village, Paris, and St. Edward’s, Little Rock, where she also served as assistant principal. She also taught at St. Joseph’s for six years in Amarillo, Texas. Sister Barbara served as parish minister at St. John’s Russellville, Ark., for five years.

After retiring from teaching and parish ministry, Sister Barbara managed the diet kitchen for six years at the monastery. She then assisted in the monastery gift shop and helped the monastery procurator. Sister Barbara remained active in the community until her health began to decline.

During her many years of service to the people of God, Sister Barbara blessed the community with her gentle spirit and creative talents of cooking, crafts and embroidering beautiful tea-towels. She enjoyed crafts, and the beauty of butterflies and birds. New and old acquaintances experienced her gracious hospitality. In her later years, the love and care shown to her by her religious Sisters, Regina and Stephanie, were true testaments of the love of natural born and monastic family.

Sister Barbara is survived by three sisters, Sister Stephanie Schroeder and Sister Regina Schroeder both of St. Scholastica Monastery, Mary Rose (Bob) Lehmann of St. Louis, Mo.; three brothers, George (Ann) Schroeder of Leominster, Mass., Bernard (Emily) Schroeder of Shawnee Mission, Kan., and Raymond (Anita) Schroder of Kansas City, Mo., many beloved nieces and nephews and members of her Benedictine community.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Sophia Schroeder; her brothers, Clarence Schroeder, Elmer Schroeder of Windthorst, Texas, brother Leonard Schroeder, OSB; and Sister Marietta Schroeder, OSB.

Due to covid-19, memorial services will be held at a later date with Abbot Leonard Wangler, OSB of Subiaco Abbey as celebrant and Father Les Farley as concelebrant.

Funeral services are under the direction of Fentress/Edwards Funeral Home, Fort Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Scholastica Monastery Continuing Care Fund, P.O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, Ark., 72913.