Barbara Ann McInnis

Barbara was born in Chicago in 1933 to Michael and Venetha McInnis and moved to Washington D.C. at the age of two. During junior high school. Barbara and her parents lived with another family in Hampton Virginia on the campus of the Hampton Institute. Since Barbara was an only child, she discovered in the other family a lifelong friend, Mary Caroline, whom she always called “my sis”. After Barbara graduated from high school in Washington D.C., she worked at the State Department for 6 months and then entered the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart convent in Baltimore, Maryland. There were also three nuns in Barbara’s family on her mother’s side, two Franciscans and Sister of Mercy.

The convent sent Barbara on varied assignments in Erie, PA, Florence and Columbia, SC; Dayton, OH; Bisbee, AZ; Dallas, TX and Detroit, MI. Barbara had to Leave the convent in 1969 to take care of her aging parents and she moved them to Tucson. Barbara then started working for various Catholic Churches as a religious educator in Tucson, Douglas, Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Tempe.

Barbara loved growing up and living in cities near the ocean and always laughed about spending the second half of her life in the dry desert.

Barbara never stopped learning and over the years earned her B.S. in Sociology from Loyola in Baltimore, MD; a M.R.E from Seattle University; a M.A. in adult education from Arizona State University and completed many other graduate courses including 10 weeks at Creighton in Omaha, NE.

Barbara learned piano as a child. Because Barbara’s Mom was very strict, when Barbara was not playing outside or doing homework, she practiced the piano- some popular music but mostly classical! Barbara really loved to play the piano and was responsible for organizing and leading lots of church choirs during her many years serving the church.

Barbara was very proud of her Scottish heritage on her father’s side from Nova Scotia and would got to any performances of Highland pipers and dancers that she could find and she especially liked the Sword Dance.

Barbara never married or had children but she had a huge “family” of very close friends from her many church assignments, especially from Douglas, Scottsdale (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) and Tempe (Holy Spirit and Resurrection Parishes). Barbara’s knowledge of the Bible and her special way of teaching it to adults had a profound influence on many. Her many friends are richer for her life and love and will cherish countless wonderful memories.

Friends are invited to attend a Visitation held on Thursday, January 7, 2021 from 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm with a Rosary Service starting at 1:00 pm at Mariposa Gardens Funeral Care, 400 S Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85206.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 8, 2021 at 10:00 am at Resurrection Catholic Church, 3201 S. Evergreen Rd. Tempe, AZ 85282.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Vincent de Paul charity in care of Resurrection Catholic Church. Interment will be at Holy Hope Cemetery in Tucson, AZ at a later date.