Barbara Anne Marks
Died
Barbara Anne Marks
Barbara Anne Marks died peacefully at the age of 97 on September 9, 2019. Barbara lived life to the fullest, raising a family, pursuing a career as an attorney, and participating actively in her community. She was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In 1999, she suffered a debilitating stroke that left her wheelchair-bound for the last twenty years of her life, but she never lost her keen sense of humor and the twinkle in her eyes.
Barbara was born in Pittsburgh to Sam and Betty Friedberg. An only child, she was raised in Ambridge, PA, where her father and mother owned clothing stores. She grew up in an apartment above her father's store, graduated from Ambridge High, and attended the University of Michigan. While at the university, Barbara married Gerald Ross and gave birth to her first son, Grant. She graduated from Michigan in 1943, was divorced, and in 1946, married Sidney Marks, a handsome, young physician from Chicago. The family relocated to Albuquerque, where she gave birth to her second son Richard.
During the 1950's and early 60's, the family lived in Richland, Washington. Barbara led a full life raising her sons, participating actively in community affairs and Temple Beth Shalom, owning the Columbia Book Store, and becoming a Life Master contract bridge player. In 1964, she and Sidney relocated to Los Angeles to pursue further education at UCLA. While Sidney worked on his PhD in Biostatistics, Barbara attended law school. One of only a handful of women students at UCLA Law, Barbara graduated at age 45 with her JD degree. For the next 20 years she practiced law, working as a law clerk in the Los Angeles Superior Court, at Legal Aid in Baltimore, for the National Senior Citizens Law Center in Washington, DC, and as a staff attorney at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. She later had her own private law practice in Richland. Throughout her career, she championed women's rights and served as an inspiration to women pursuing professional careers.
Barbara and Sid retired to the Seattle area after living in Hiroshima, Japan for a year and a half. In Seattle, Barbara actively participated in Temple Beth Am and the Women's University Club. In addition to contract bridge, Barbara loved reading, writing, and travel. She made a mean brisket, was the maven of all-caps comments on Facebook, and loved spending time with her dear husband Sid and her family.
Barbara is survived by her sons Grant Ross and Richard Marks, her daughters-in-law Willie Ross and Spring Zoog, her grandchildren Jill Keto, Selina O'Coffey, Jason Ross, Zoe Marks, Julia Marks, and Richard Olivarez, and six great grandchildren.
In remembrance of Barbara, donations can be made to Jewish Family Services, Temple Beth Am, or Northwest Harvest.
Barbara Anne Marks died peacefully at the age of 97 on September 9, 2019. Barbara lived life to the fullest, raising a family, pursuing a career as an attorney, and participating actively in her community. She was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In 1999, she suffered a debilitating stroke that left her wheelchair-bound for the last twenty years of her life, but she never lost her keen sense of humor and the twinkle in her eyes.
Barbara was born in Pittsburgh to Sam and Betty Friedberg. An only child, she was raised in Ambridge, PA, where her father and mother owned clothing stores. She grew up in an apartment above her father's store, graduated from Ambridge High, and attended the University of Michigan. While at the university, Barbara married Gerald Ross and gave birth to her first son, Grant. She graduated from Michigan in 1943, was divorced, and in 1946, married Sidney Marks, a handsome, young physician from Chicago. The family relocated to Albuquerque, where she gave birth to her second son Richard.
During the 1950's and early 60's, the family lived in Richland, Washington. Barbara led a full life raising her sons, participating actively in community affairs and Temple Beth Shalom, owning the Columbia Book Store, and becoming a Life Master contract bridge player. In 1964, she and Sidney relocated to Los Angeles to pursue further education at UCLA. While Sidney worked on his PhD in Biostatistics, Barbara attended law school. One of only a handful of women students at UCLA Law, Barbara graduated at age 45 with her JD degree. For the next 20 years she practiced law, working as a law clerk in the Los Angeles Superior Court, at Legal Aid in Baltimore, for the National Senior Citizens Law Center in Washington, DC, and as a staff attorney at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. She later had her own private law practice in Richland. Throughout her career, she championed women's rights and served as an inspiration to women pursuing professional careers.
Barbara and Sid retired to the Seattle area after living in Hiroshima, Japan for a year and a half. In Seattle, Barbara actively participated in Temple Beth Am and the Women's University Club. In addition to contract bridge, Barbara loved reading, writing, and travel. She made a mean brisket, was the maven of all-caps comments on Facebook, and loved spending time with her dear husband Sid and her family.
Barbara is survived by her sons Grant Ross and Richard Marks, her daughters-in-law Willie Ross and Spring Zoog, her grandchildren Jill Keto, Selina O'Coffey, Jason Ross, Zoe Marks, Julia Marks, and Richard Olivarez, and six great grandchildren.
In remembrance of Barbara, donations can be made to Jewish Family Services, Temple Beth Am, or Northwest Harvest.
Source: Seattle Times
Published on: 29-09-2019