Barbara A. Langer, 87, of Grand Forks, ND passed away Monday, January 5, 2026, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks.

Barbara Ann Jansen was born on January 2, 1939, to Leo and Margaret (Anderson) Jansen near Verndale, MN. After graduation from Staples High School, she attended St. Cloud State College and married Alfred Langer on August 27, 1960, in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples, MN. They moved to Grand Forks, ND, where Al managed Central Foods at UND for 37 years. The mother of 6 children, Barb worked as the CCD coordinator for 8 years at St. Michael's Church. She resumed college classes and graduated from UND in May of 1988.  That fall she started working as the Librarian at Sacred Heart High School. She taught seventh through ninth grade religion for 4 years, coached the speech team, and retired in 2009 after 21 years of service.  She was awarded the Lumen Christi award in 2009 for her dedication to Sacred Heart and was proud to have been awarded at the same time as one of her best friends, Sister Basil LeDuc.

Al and his wife, Barbara, earned certification in the EPS course of theology in the Fargo Diocese. They were very involved in the Worldwide Marriage Encounter program. Besides speaking at 22 encounters, they served as one of 8 team couples on the National Board of Directors with Fr. Dennis Schue from 1973 through 1975.  Al and Barb also professed as members of the Secular Franciscans on June 10, 2007. Her faith was especially important to her.

Barb enjoyed her family, reading, crafting, learning, sewing, visiting the sick and elderly. She was a proclaimer for over 30 years and extraordinary eucharistic minister at St. Michael's Church. She loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren very much and enjoyed doing things with them.

She is survived by children, Craig (Kay) Langer, Douglas (Laura) Langer, Elizabeth Harris, Susan (Jay) Helming, Carol Langer, Tom (Stacey) Langer, 12 grandchildren,  20 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren; her sister, Pat Johnson; brothers, John (Ruth) Jansen, Jerry (Sharon) Jansen, and Jeff (Linda) Jansen; and sister-in-law, Barb Larsen.

She was preceded in death by her husband Al, her parents Margaret and Leo, a brother, Jim Jansen, a sister-in-law, Mary Jansen, a granddaughter, Jaime Langer and a great-granddaughter, Hailie Rae Langer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to St. Gianna's Maternity Home (Warsaw/Minto, ND), St. Michael's School Bridge Builders (Grand Forks), or the St. Francis Scholarship at Sacred Heart School (East Grand Forks) in lieu of flowers.

Mass of Christian Burial: 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 12, 2026, in St. Michael's Catholic Church in Grand Forks, ND.
Visitation: One hour prior to the liturgy with a Recitation of the Rosary at 12:30 p.m. in the church on Monday.
Burial: In the spring of 2026, in Calvary North Cemetery, Grand Forks, ND.