Barbara Jo Meier

Barbara Jo Hoefer Meier, 82, passed away on Thursday, December 10, 2020, after a lifetime of love and care shared with family and friends, and service within her community.

Barbara is survived by her beloved husband, John W. Meier, children Brian Jacob Meier and Julia Beth Meier, grandchildren Kristen Meier and Tariq Meier, and great-grandchildren Bently and Sawyer Meier with whom she spent many happy days. She is also survived by sister Margaret L. “Peggy” Hoefer McCollum (Donald), brother Alden J. “Buz” Hoefer (Marion Stuart), and the nieces and nephews who remember her as “the cool aunt” who drove a Mustang convertible and introduced them to sewing, Pringles, Chinese food, and Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. Any acknowledgments would be incomplete without an expression of love and appreciation to Cheryl Humleker and Carol Haanen, Barbara and John’s dear friends.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents John Orville Hoefer and Elizabeth Ena Phipps Hoefer, and infant sister Karla Beth Hoefer.

Born December 8, 1938, and raised in Worthington, Minnesota, Barbara grew into a witty, creative young woman and a talented singer and pianist. She graduated a top student at Worthington High, and her siblings maintain she was the smartest among them. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of South Dakota in Brookings, then her M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She began her career as an educator in White Bear, Minnesota.

After marrying John, Barbara worked as a school guidance counselor in the Des Plaines, Illinois, area. The family relocated to Appleton, Wisconsin, and she joined the guidance staff at Fox Valley Technical College in Grand Chute where she is still remembered fondly. For 29 years, she helped students in the Fox Valley area map out next steps in their lives as well as careers.

A life-long advocate for opportunities and rights for women, Barbara was a leader in the American Association of University Women. She served as president of the Wisconsin AAUW’s state board (1991–1993), on the national board for program development (1993–1995), and as program coordinator for the Great Lakes region (1996–1998). She also contributed her considerable organizational skills to the AAUW’s annual book sale.

Barbara and John were long-time members of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Neenah/Menasha, Wisconsin, where she was a highly productive member of the prayer shawl knitting group.

Barb’s talent with knitting needles – and her sewing machine – will continue to bless her family and friends. Her hand-crafted ornaments hang on many a Christmas tree, her heirloom Christmas stockings will continue to be hung each year, and her shawls and afghans remain sources of comfort year-round. She will also be remembered for her contagious laughter that would leave her shoulders shaking.

Due to the pandemic, there will be no memorial service, and Barbara’s life will be honored in the Memorial Gardens of the First Congregational Church in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations be made to the AAUW’s education programs (https://www.aauw.org/issues/education/) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (https://www.jdrf.org/fundraising/). The family also extends its appreciation and gratitude to the healthcare providers at the Theda Clark Regional Medical Center in Neenah.