Marie was born July 4, 1915, in Rossford, Ohio, the daughter of Frank and Tillie Schilling Ketzer. Her faith life began with her baptism at St. Rose Church, Perrysburg, Ohio. In September 1921, Marie began her formal education at St. Rose School staffed by the Toledo Ursulines. When her grandfather died in 1930, she went to live with her grandmother and continued at Perrysburg High School. On graduation in 1933, she enrolled in State University of Bowling Green, Ohio, and earned her teaching certificate. Her first teaching position was at St. Rose, where she had attended elementary school.
In September 1938, she entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph. On August 14, 1939, she received the Ursuline habit and the name Sister Mary Barbara. As she had already earned a teaching certificate before entering, Sister taught at St. Alphonsus School — across the road from the Motherhouse — while continuing her study and formation in the novitiate.
In 1944, she was assigned to St. Mary Grade School, Nebraska City, Neb., where she stayed for five years. Other teaching assignments were Flaherty (Ky.) High School and St. Bernard Academy, Nebraska City. She earned a degree in library science and served as librarian at Brescia College, Owensboro, from 1959‑1989.
She retired to Mount Saint Joseph in 1989 where she busied herself in many hobbies such as bread making, knitting, and flower gardening. She served as receptionist and switchboard operator, and a member of the liturgy and the hospitality committees.
In January 1996, following surgery for pancreatic cancer, she was under skilled nursing care in Mount Saint Joseph Infirmary until her death on March 16. Father Aloysius Powers celebrated the funeral Mass on March 18, followed by the burial service in the convent cemetery.