Bette Barnes was born on April 4, 1924, in Augusta, Michigan. She received her
undergraduate degree from Kalamazoo College in 1945. She received her Master of Science
degree in Zoology from UW-Madison in 1947. After 36 years at UW-Madison focusing on
Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology, she retired in 1991 as Senior Lecture Emerita
from the Physiology Department.
During her time at UW-Madison, Barnes joined Sigma Delta Epsilon Graduate Women in Science
(GWiS) in 1947 and served many offices in both Beta Chapter and the national organization.
She was the treasurer for six years, and from 1991-1992, she was the president. She also was
a faculty advisor to Beta Chapter members until her death in 2016.
Barnes was always a champion for women in the workplace, and she advocated against sexual
harassment throughout her career and life. She chaired the University Sexual Harassment
Policy Committee for two years in the 1970s. Barnes also was a member of the Committee on
Women's Issues in the Medical School, and she opened the first childcare facility on the
UW-Madison campus with colleague Mary Rouse.
As a member of the UW-Madison Retirement Association, she volunteered as a tutor-mentor,
first at Velma Hamilton Middle School and later at Midvale Elementary School. She joined the
Board of Directors of Community Action Coalition (CAC) in 1989 and served many years as
Chair of the Personnel Committee and liaison to Citizen Advocacy and later as the advisory
committee chair. She was a Life Member of the NAACP, serving six years as Treasurer in the
1980s, and as a member of the Education Committee. She returned to her roots in Schoolcraft
as often as she could, especially for the yearly Alumni Potluck.
