SINSINAWA — Sister Elizabeth “Liz” Barribeau, OP, died Feb. 3, 2021, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. Her religious name was Sister Valerian. The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa, Feb. 9, followed by burial of the cremains in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Liz made her first profession as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa Aug. 5, 1944, and spent 18 years with the congregation before transferring her religious vows to the Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey of Trappist nuns in Wrentham, Mass., who in 1964 established a new foundation—Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey—near Dubuque, IA. Sr. Liz became a foundress of that congregation, and returned to the Sinsinawa congregation in 1985. She made her perpetual profession with the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa Aug. 21, 1988. Sister Liz taught for 21 years and served as assistant principal for one year, director of a tutoring program for migrant children for seven years, and pastoral minister for five years. Students were individually and collectively made to feel special in her classroom. Sister Liz volunteered in the library at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, and made rosaries for baptism and First Communion gifts. She found great joy in greeting everyone she met and saying something humorous to lighten their day. She served in Illinois, Minnesota, Alabama, Iowa, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New York and Florida.
In the Diocese of Madison, Sister Elizabeth taught in the Learning Center at St. Mary, Portage, 1985-1986, and at Edgewood Campus School, Madison, 1986-1988.
Sister Liz was born July 24, 1924, in Goodman, Wis., the daughter of Alfred and Beatrice (Le May) Barribeau. Her parents; a sister, Mabel Barribeau; and two brothers, Donald Barribeau and Fred Barribeau, preceded her in death. She is survived by two brothers, James Barribeau and William Barribeau; nieces; nephews; and her Dominican Sisters with whom she shared religious life.
Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or at www.sinsinawa.org/donate online.
Repeat broadcasts of the wake and funeral for Sister Liz are available online at www.sinsinawa.org/live
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