(nee Balas), Age 75, found comfort and peace when she entered into eternal life on September 8, 2025.
Barb is now reunited with her husband, Russell. Her greatest joy was her family and she is lovingly remembered by her children Jennifer (Brian) Leibl, Michael (Kate) Searing, Stephanie (Benjamin) Weiler and her beloved grandchildren, Stephen, Andrew, Sophia, Lily Ann, Sarah, James, Rosalyn, Nathan, Elizabeth (Betsy), and Charles. She will also be greatly missed by her siblings Marianne (late Paul) Scobey and Frank Balas. Barb delighted in being an aunt, great-aunt, Godmother, and cousin. She valued and appreciated her many friendships and various circles of friends, whether life-long or newer connections.
Barb was born on March 24,1950 and was the baby of the Balas family. Barbie grew up on 57th Street in Milwaukee with her close-knit family and enjoyed Sunday family dinners, picnics, playing at Neeskara playground, and being an active member of St. Sebastian Parish. She graduated from Pius XI Catholic High School in 1968, UW-Milwaukee in 1972, and earned a Masters in Theological Studies from St. Francis Seminary in 1994.
Barb met Russ on a Catholic retreat, and they hit it off instantly when she laughed at all his corny jokes and shared a common faith in the Lord. The priesthood’s loss was Barb’s gain, and they married on August 5, 1972. In addition to their faith, they enjoyed camping, golfing, playing cards, cheering on local sports teams, and spending time with their family and friends.
Barb’s faith guided all aspects of her life, and she was called to use her education and Masters in Theology degrees to direct religious education programs at various parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: St. Therese, St. Mary’s Hales Corners, and St. Mary’s Menomonee Falls. She was well known for recruiting family, friends, and acquaintances to join her ministry as teachers in her respective programs and benefited from the resulting close relationships that grew with so many of these “teacher friends” in subsequent years.
As important as faith formation and living her faith was to Barb, her most cherished and important role was mother and grandmother. Barb was very proud of her children and TEN grandchildren. Her grandkids brought her an elevated level of joy and love. She truly enjoyed cheering on each one of them in their various extracurriculars. She made the circuit from music concerts to karate to sporting events, always with her trademark Ziploc baggie of treats in hand, to recognize good effort and a job well done. From the early days of grand mothering when she was holding babies, chasing toddlers, and hosting Camp Buster, to her more recent role of rooting on the grandkids at their high school sports endeavors, learning about the latest trends from influencers and the Tik Tok, and getting a lift from the teen drivers, she was their biggest fan.
Barb will be remembered for her generosity, care for the less fortunate, humor, boisterous laugh and big smile, zeal for life, kindness, thoughtful cards and thank you notes, and her desire to make every event she hosted “special.” She navigated all of her assorted and significant health challenges over the decades with faith, dignity, humor, and optimism; an example for everyone. She was one of a kind. Barb’s light and love will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
We will celebrate Barb’s life at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wauwatosa (12130 West Center Street) on Saturday, September 20, 2025. Visitation 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 11:00 a.m. and luncheon at Alioto’s (3041 North Mayfair Road). In Barb’s memory, donations can be made to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation using this link (donations by check should note the Russell & Barbara Searing Outreach Fund in the memo).
