Barbara Peterson, SCN, 90, a native of St. Mary’s, Kentucky, died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, on Saturday, May 9, 2015. She had been a Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 69 years.
Sister Barbara served in elementary and secondary education as both teacher and principal in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio for 18 years. Sister served as dean of students at Nazareth College, Nazareth, Kentucky, from 1966–1970. From 1973–80 she served as provincial of the SCN Eastern Province of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Massachusetts. In Louisville, Sister Barbara served as chaplain of Our Lady of Peace Hospital from 1988-92 and as part-time chaplain from 1993-95. She also served as part-time chaplain at Caritas Peace Center from 1995-98. From 1998-2002 Sister served as director of alumni relations for the Office of Congregational Advancement. In April 2015, Sister became a resident at Nazareth Home where she served in the Apostolate of Prayer.
Survivors include one sister, Ann Kemper of Louisville, Kentucky., nieces and nephews, and her religious Community.
I met Sister Barbara when I moved to Highlands Court. I attended the 2015 Nazareth all-school reunion and wrote the following in my reunion experience:
I had tears in my eyes when Sister Barbara Peterson’s name was mentioned at Mass. Sister Barbara joined Our Heavenly Father on May 9, 2015 around 6:30pm. I did not know until I read her obit in the Courier-Journal on May 11 that she was the Dean at Nazareth and not a Prefect [as I thought]. I attended the prayer and remembrance service at Nazareth Home. I spoke and said, “My name is Judy Harpring. I am a 1962 graduate of Nazareth Academy and a resident of Highlands Court. All of us at Highlands Court were disappointed when Sister Barbara moved to the Nazareth Apartments on Newburg Road. She was well-liked and always pleasant. And boy, could she dance!”
Judy Harpring
Academy ’62