Victoria Geyger
(Sister Mary Raphael Geyger)
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Sister Mary Raphael Geyger
Victoria Geyger was born on May 7, 1898. She was an orphan train rider from New York City at the age of three years and came to Exeter, Nebraska on September 4, 1901. She was raised by Frederick John and Mary Catharine (Tepe) Barkmeier who had immigrated from Germany to America in 1889 with their seven sons and one daughter. The family lived on a farm located a few miles north and west of Exeter. Frederick and Mary raised Victoria with their other children. She grew up with the three youngest boys. Frederick Barkmeier died March 18, 1916. William "Bill" Barkmeier, son of Frederick and Mary, and his wife, Anna Marie, then moved to the farm after Frederick's death. Victoria and Mary lived with them for awhile and then moved southeast of Exeter to live with Frederick and Mary's oldest son, Frank Barkmeier. After Frank's death in 1928, Victoria and Mary moved into Exeter to live with Mary's second eldest son, Henry, and his wife, Mary. Victoria helped care for Mary until her death on November 27, 1935. Victoria then entered the religious community of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine of Siena in St. Catharine, Kentucky. She became a Dominican nun, Sister Mary Raphael Geyger, and celebrated her Silver Jubilee on August 15, 1962. Sister Raphael died on March 25, 1993.
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