Agnes Bachmeier, SNJM

I was born in Silverton, Oregon and am the oldest of six children born to Jacob and Bertha Bachmeier. I attended grade school at St. John the Baptist School in Milwaukie, Oregon. Then my family moved to Salem where I attended St. Vincent’s grade school. It was there that I met the Holy Names Sisters. The Sisters also taught me at Sacred Heart Academy in Salem. After high school, I entered the Holy Names novitiate at Marylhurst, Oregon, studied at and graduated from Marylhurst College.

After completing my studies, I taught high school home economics for sixteen years in both Salem and Eugene. Later in Eugene, I worked for 24 years at the Relief Nursery where I was a teacher-interventionist with the “little ones” and low-income single parents. My responsibilities included monthly visits to the students’ homes. During my visits I supported parents in getting food, clothing, and heat. I helped the parents get referrals for speech therapy and/or counseling for their children and referred the parents to the Nursery’s drug and alcohol program. Currently, I continue to work at the Relief Nursery, but now as a volunteer.

I am grateful for the love and support of my family, friends and community during these past fifty years.