Barbara Ann Hahl was born on June 7, 1938, to Philip and Neoma (Voltz) Hahl in Neenah, Wisconsin. She grew up constantly going to new places, as the Hahl family moved 10 times throughout her childhood. They lived in various Wisconsin towns before settling in South Bend, Indiana, when Barbara was 14 years old. As a child, she enjoyed making model airplanes and ships that she proudly displayed all around her bedroom. Barbara was also very active and played any sport that she could think of. Whenever a group of children asked her to play with them, she refused if they did not allow her younger brother, James, to join them.

Due to the Hahl family moving frequently, Barbara attended several elementary schools, the last being St. Joseph’s School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Upon moving to South Bend, she became a student at the recently opened St. Joseph High School. She was taught by Sisters of the Holy Cross, and her teachers described her as an earnest student with high moral standards. She had fond memories of playing softball during the summers.

Barbara had known since the second grade that she wanted to live her life in service of others. She felt drawn to Holy Cross because of the sisters’ kindness and compassion, along with their ministries to underserved persons. On September 7, 1956, a few months after graduating high school, Barbara entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. Upon reception of the holy habit, she became Sister Mary Colette. She returned to her baptismal name in 1967.

As Sister Colette, she began an education ministry spanning 15 years. She taught first through eighth grades in Evergreen Park, Illinois; Valparaiso, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; and Chicago, Illinois. Along with teaching, she also served as the principal of Christ the King School in South Bend from 1969 until 1972. While principal, her love of sports led her to being a substitute coach for the boys baseball and girls volleyball teams. Additionally, she coached the girls softball team for two seasons. In 1966, she earned a bachelor's degree in history from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, and then a master’s degree in history in 1972 from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

While Sister Barbara enjoyed teaching, she had a strong desire for a ministry in health care. In 1975, she began interning as an engineering technician in Holy Cross Hospital’s Department of Management in Salt Lake City, Utah. After her internship, she served as the director of medical records at Holy Cross Hospital for two years and then as the director of planning at St. Joseph’s Hospital in South Bend for a year.

Following Sister Barbara’s time at St. Joseph’s Hospital, she began her almost 40-year ministry for Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio. From 1981 to 1985, she was missioned as the assistant administrator for non-clinical and clinical areas at Mount Carmel East Hospital. In 1983, she was recognized for her “business acumen and team-player attitude,” being designated to manage several new building projects that would expand the hospital. After earning a master’s degree in business administration in 1985 from the University of Notre Dame, Sister Barbara served as executive vice president for 10 years. As executive vice president, she developed and oversaw all programs for Mount Carmel Health System, such as hospice, homecare, outreach and many others that are still a part of Mount Carmel today. She was senior vice president for community services from 1996 until her retirement in 2020 and was responsible for the spiritual health and wellness of Mount Carmel, including mission services, spiritual care services and outreach.

In Sister Barbara’s many years with Mount Carmel, there was never a position that she disliked. She loved that Mount Carmel was dedicated to serving people experiencing poverty. Her goals in life were always to “serve in the spirit of the Gospel” and to see that “the lost, the poor, and the underserved are treated with reverence, dignity, and respect.” Her colleagues were grateful for her passion in caring for those who were most vulnerable and remarked that “for almost 40 years, we have witnessed a servant leader like no other.” She was caring, compassionate and nurturing to the community of Columbus, Ohio.

After retiring at the end of 2020, Sister Barbara moved to the motherhouse at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, where she lived out the last chapter of her life. On the sunny, winter morning of January 27, 2025, she died surrounded by sisters who quickly gathered to pray for her and commend her to God’s care. Sister Barbara spent a lifetime being a voice for those who had none and taught others to do the same, and her significant impact on the Mount Carmel Health System will be felt for generations.

We invite you to donate in Sister’s name.