Barwise, Mary Joyce (September 27, 1939—December 6, 2016)
Mary Jo Barwise from St.Paul, Minnesota was a Grinnell student for two years, 1957-58 and 1958-59, residening in Main Hall for her freshman year and Loose Hall her sophomore year.
Her first year she was a member of Tassels (the women’s honorary group) while her second year she was on the reporting staff of the Scarlet and Black student newspaper.
Mary Jo transferred to the University of Minnesota where she obtaine her B.A. in 1961 in its School of Journalism and in 1965 the M.A. degree in the same subject from the University of Wisconsin and was “all but dissertation” from obtaining a PhD in that subject from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism. She also studied divinity in 1968 at McGill University in Montreal.
She then was one of the first women reporters at the Winona Daily News and taught at John Marshall High School in Rochester, MN, Bir Zeit University in Jordan (1966-67), and for 30 years at Metropolitan Community College in Minneapolis, where she was also advisor for the acclaimed student newspaper.
Mary Jo was a champion of the under-dog and was always concerned about justice for all, supporting immigrants, international students, the visually handicapped and rescue dogs, encouraging them with her energy, time, resources and belief in them.
She will be fondly remembered for her loyalty, creativity, compassion, deep interest in others, delightful sense of humor and fiery authenticity.
Obituary, Mary Joyce BARWISE, Twin Cities Pioneer Press (Dec. 11, 2016), https://www.twincities.com/obituaries/mary-joyce-barwise-st-paul-mn/
Duane W. Krohnke
