Barbara E. Kieper, 80, Fessenden, passed away Thursday, January 24, 2013 at the St. Aloisius Nursing Home in Harvey. A celebration of Barbara's life will be held Saturday, July 20, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Fessenden. Arrangements with Nelson Funeral Home of Fessenden.

Barbara Kieper, daughter of William and Elsie (Engbrecht) Kieper, was born February 4, 1932 on her parents' farm northeast of Fessenden where she was raised. She attended Fessenden Public School, graduating in 1950 and enrolled at Hamline University School of Nursing, Mounds-Midway Division, in St. Paul, MN, where she graduated as a Resistered Nurse in June of 1953. She then attended Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, KT where she received her midwifery training

Barbara became interested in missionary work at an early age and, in the spring of 1959, she applied for missionary service among the leprous people in the Cameroons. In June of 1960, following a year of study at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD, she was commissioned for missionary service and immediately left for the Southern Cameroons in Africa where she worked as a nurse midwife for nine years. In 1969 she transferred to Nigeria where she continued her work as a midwife and also provided primary health care. Following her retirement in 1994 she returned to Fessenden to care for her mother. Barbara had been a resident of the St. Aloisius Nursing Home since August of 2008.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Fessenden.

Barbara is survived by one sister, Suzanne Edinger of Fridley, MN; one brother, William (Mavis) Kieper of Rush City, MN; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents.