Maxine Barnett

I have absolutely enjoyed my life so far. It has been full of wonderous opportunities and challenges.
After being nun for a short while (a great foundation for my life) I graduated from the College of St Mary in Omaha, then went on to Marquette University for an MA in English. I taught school in inner city Milwaukee and then at Stephan High School in SD. Both experiences were so rewarding. MY husband Jim pollock also taught at Stephan with me. We then moved to St Cloud where I have lived ever since. Though Jim and I were divorced many years ago, we maintained a good relationship over the years and raised top notch kids.
Thirty two yeas ago I was working for the county and met with numerous women who were being abused by their spouses. There was no place to refer them for safety so I gathered together some of those community "feminists" (bad word in St Cloud at the time) and started a shelter for battered women. It was an uphill battle as there were very few shelters in the US at that time. Yet, not too far into the work we got great community support. We went from a tiny place that housed six people to one that could accommodate 20 to our current place, Anna Marie's, that can house 36 women and their children. You can visit our facility at www.annamaries.org.
The work has been a blessing in my life. I have learned much about myself, about the goodness of community members and volunteers who support us and most of all from the courageous families who have touched my life. I could go on forever about that...but anyway...now I am in the process of building a 30 unit apt building for families who need more permanent housing after they leave the shelter. They will have the opportunity to go on to college while staying there as we have mustered up scholarship monies and and have on site day care. It has been heartening over the years to see the numbers of woemn who have been at the shelter go on and earn degrees in various areas who now give so much back to the community.
I plan to retire in two years..but I suppose I will never really retire...I will just get involved in other things!

I remain active in my parish in a number of ways,
am involved in our local United Way, with foundations and corporations regarding funding for nonprofits and have worked extensively with St John's Abbey regarding abuse of minors perpetrated by monks and with the diocese on similar issues.

So what do I like to do for fun?
I love to travel. My brother Steve and I went to Ireland a number of years ago and had a great time. I went to El Salvador to do volunteer work which was very rewarding and of course I have brothers and sisters all around the US and thoroughly enjoy their company,,,and their great and goofy sense of humor! We (all ten of my brothers and sisters) will be at the Oct reunion and are planning to stay in town for about just to laugh and play.

I have thought about so many of you over the years...how proud I was to be your Pumpkin Queen! and in general for all of the special memories I have of our years together. My God I am really getting way too sentimental here so will close for now with one parting note!
I think that the Melodaires should at least sing "Tonight You Belong to Me" at our reunion dinner. How about that ladies...and would you play the piano for us Margaret O'Boyle? See you all soon...
Love,
Maxine

Sally Kiley and I decided that we needed to be extra "holy" and so one Lent we went to both daily Masses in the morning before school. We did however only go to communion at one Mass!
How could I ever forget getting picked up by the police and taken to the station...I think it was for disorderly conduct and not ratting on Joe Sweere and some others of you who decided to jump on top of cars that were parked on the street. Dickie Phalen's mom came running out of the house when we were dropped off by the police early the next morning shouting "Dickie, what have you done now!" And of course there was always the problem of getting Dan Naughton home before Ed left on his milk route...and parties and sleepovers at Janet Billion's, and Sr (was it Devona or something...7th grade) who told us about devils who came into your bedroom at night and left ash prints on the floor and windowsills..when you had done something bad. And playing strip poker at Sally Kiley's!! and fun times in Sr Patrick's Latin class. The only thing I learned there was VENI VEDI VICI and that did not at all help me in the convent. And I never cared at all about the wars in Gall except when the Melodaires sang "Omnes Galli ad in tres partes divisa est"... Chemistry was never a strong suit for me but marshmellows over the bunson burner were fine. Hmmm. I'll think of more and then write them down and share them when I come..