Mary Joyce Barwise died Dec. 6, 2016. She was born Sept. 27, 1939, to Luella and John Barwise. Mary was a lifelong resident of St. Paul, the past 25 years in St. Anthony Park.
Mary was a champion of the underdog and always concerned about justice for all; she supported immigrants, international students, the visually handicapped and rescue dogs, encouraging them with her energy, time, resources and belief in them becoming the best that they could be.
Mary graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism, earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, and was an “all-but-dissertation” PhD at the U of M, studying the economics of the 1930s and its influence on small-town Minnesota newspapers.
She was one of the first women reporters at the Winona Daily News; taught at John Marshall High School in Rochester, Minn.; Bir Zeit University in Jordan; and for 30 years at Metropolitan Community College in Minneapolis, where she was also adviser for the acclaimed student newspaper.
Mary will be greatly missed by her sister, Susan Hervey (Barwise); niece, Lisa Miller (Pieter); nephew, Daniel Hervey (Deborah); cousins, Nancy Piper Jankovich, Joyce Harvey-Morgan, Virginia Shapiro, Michael Harvey, Katherine Harrison,
Jim Andrews and John MacArthur; four grand-nieces; a grand-nephew; her special friend and caregiver, Jodie L’Allier; her dogs, Frankie and Suzi; and scores of students and friends.
Mary will be fondly remembered for her loyalty, creativity, compassion, deep interest in others, delightful sense of humor and fiery authenticity.
A family gathering will be held in the spring.