Barbara Mischio passed away on December 13, 2024, at the age of 85. A spirited mother, educator, artist and friend, Barbara left us after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her husband George, sons Scott, David (Amy) and Greg (Sharon), and grandchildren Jackson, Owen, Sam and Anna.

Barbara was born on May 17, 1939, in Carlstadt, New Jersey. She was raised by her mother, Julia, and her stepfather, Louis. She had a younger sister, Geri, whom she grew close to despite their eight-year difference in age.

Barbara grew up in humble surroundings. Early in her life, she and her mother shared a three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with her grandparents and her two aunts. The family had little money, and she talked often of being so cold she would wrap herself in a blanket at night and move as little as possible in order to conserve heat.

She was always a dedicated, hard-working student, and was proud of being the valedictorian of her eighth-grade class. She continued her focus on her studies in high school, with a drive to become the first member of her family to attend college.

Barbara managed to strike a balance by leading an active social life. She referred to her high school days as something straight out of “Happy Days,” full of cheerleading, clubs, and fun. She was part of a group of tight-knit girlfriends that called themselves the “Carlstadt 5” and who would remain lifelong friends.

Her hard work in high school paid off, as Barbara was admitted to Newark State University (now known as Kean University.) She had no specific area of study in mind when she enrolled in the teacher’s college; she had chosen the school because it was the only one she could afford. The school stoked her interest in education, however, and she would go on to double major in speech pathology and K-12 education.

The school also led her to her future husband, George Mischio, whom she met at the bookstore where he worked. George was also the sports editor at the Quickee News, a school publication, and he encouraged her to volunteer as an artist. A relationship blossomed, and besides dating, they worked together at a summer camp for children with disabilities called Camp Merry Heart in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

The two were married on June 16, 1962. After receiving their respective college degrees, they moved to Illinois for a brief stint while George pursued a Masters Degree in Special Education. They then returned to New Jersey, where they moved to Upper Saddle River while George pursued his PhD in Special Education.

It was in New Jersey that Barbara leaned into her role of being an at-home mom. “Watching my children grow was my greatest joy,” she said when recalling those years.

Eventually, George landed a job at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and the family uprooted and moved to the tiny town of Palmyra. The rural area was a far cry from the hustle and bustle of New Jersey, but both Barbara and George welcomed the change.

It was in Palmyra that Barbara supplemented her role as an at-home mom by becoming active in her community. She became the President of the Parent-Teacher Organization and the Parish Council of St. Mary’s Church. She also proved adept at event planning, co-chairing a fundraiser called the Holiday Bazaar that raised money for the PTO.

As her boys grew older, Barbara’s natural teaching ability led her to the classroom, and she began work as a substitute teacher in schools around the Palmyra area. She soon became a highly requested substitute and a favorite of the kids.

Barbara next worked at CESA, an educational support agency in the Jefferson County area. Eventually, that led her to a position in the education department at UW-Whitewater where she taught reading methods until her retirement in 2002 at the age of 65. She would also earn a Master’s Degree in education and remain a lifelong learner.

Her penchant for event-planning expanded into a number of special roles at the University. The first was leading a program that took graduate students to Australia and New Zealand on six-week educational immersion trips. The second was an annual Early Education conference that grew in size to include many speakers and thousands of attendees. Both experiences resulted in Barbara building a vast network of professional colleagues that became long-time friends.

Both in work and outside of it, Barbara questioned everything and could be a fierce contrarian, inspiring both admiration (and often frustration) among co-workers, friends and family. You could count on Barbara to ask the “atypical” questions. She had a strong sense of justice and wasn’t shy about questioning authority or teaching methods that weren’t beneficial to children. Barbara was a defender of all, but her motivation was all fueled by love.

That love extended to her home life, where she raised three boys with George, and instilled her values by example. She frequently invited people separated from or without families to share Thanksgiving with her family.  An excellent cook, Barbara’s food spreads were a sight to behold, with a signature lasagna dish that could feed a small army. Her greatest joy was providing enormous holiday feasts for the family.

One of Barbara’s greatest strengths was her artistic side. She was an excellent free-hand artist and painter, and in her retirement, she focused her craft on watercolors. True to her nature, she often bucked convention in her art classes, favoring her unique, Barbara Mischio style. It suited her well, as her watercolors won local prizes and were acclaimed by her art class instructors.

Barbara also loved to decorate, and her home on Blue Spring Lake in Palmyra became her gallery. The walls were adorned with paintings and photos of the places she and George had traveled, including works of many of her fellow artists. She possessed an amazing ability to find items at second-hand stores and blend them into her home décor.

For all her abilities as an educator and artist, it was Barbara’s humility and heart that drew people to her. There was always a seat at her table for you, and always a moment to talk and to listen. She cherished her friendships and her family like that collection of art in her household; it was her loving gallery.

Nothing, however, equaled her love for her grandchildren. She and George spent much of their retirement years attending their grandchildren’s events and hosting sleepovers. She showered them with Christmas gifts and special treats, bending their parents’ nutrition rules with whatever made her grandkids happy.

After over fifty years at their beloved lake home in Palmyra, Barbara and George finally moved to an independent living facility in Oconomowoc in the fall of 2024. Only days after moving in, Barbara was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It was incurable, and she accepted her fate. Her final request was that she be surrounded by her boys and her husband, which she was when she passed away.

If there is one final thing to say about Barbara, it would be that she would have told everyone this obituary was too long, and not to make a big deal about her passing. It’s not, and we will. A celebration of life will be held sometime in May, where family and friends will be invited to share stories, laughter, and love in remembrance of this extraordinary woman.

We would like to thank the nursing and other staff from Agrace hospice care and her very special caregivers from Home Instead. They provided loving care and nursing attention to Barbara and all of us and are truly angels on this earth.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Agrace in Barbara’s memory.