Obituary for Barbara L. Himmelrich (Levin)
Our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and community leader Barbara Levin Himmelrich died in the wee hours of October 31, 2022 at 91 years of age. She was a woman of boundless spirit, humor, warmth, and energy, who spent her life bringing light, love, and honesty to all who knew her.
Barbara was born on March 9, 1931 and she grew up in Newton, Massachusetts with her beloved sister, Elaine Levin Goldberg. At the age of 11, she lost her mother in the historic Cocoanut Grove fire of 1942, which Barbara described as the defining moment of her life.
When she was fifteen, Judy Kolker from Camp Woodlands invited her to Baltimore for a Park School dance. It was there that she met her future husband, Samuel Katz Himmelrich, who predeceased her in 2020. He said he noticed her because she was wearing purple lipstick.
Barbara and Sam kept in touch throughout the years, leading her to leave Goucher College and marry him in 1952. Together they had four children, Sue Himmelrich (Michael Soloff), Samuel K. Himmelrich, Jr. (Pamela Miller Himmelrich), Alfred Rice Himmelrich II (Dana Heath Himmelrich), and William Bernard Himmelrich (Shelly Pechter Himmelrich). When her daughter entered college in 1971, Barbara was inspired to finish her undergraduate degree, followed by her MSW at University of Maryland.
Barbara always believed that she was blessed by the kind help of others, and wanted to serve her community in the same way—and serve she did. She chaired many important service organizations, including The Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore (Chair of the Board, Chair of the 1992 Annual Campaign), national meeting of the Council of Jewish Federations Assembly, and National and Overseas Services Committee and Aged Services Committee of the Associated, and was on the board of countless service organizations including United Way of Central Maryland, Maryland Institute College of Art, House of Ruth, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Park School, and many more.
Barbara’s number one passion, though, was her family, first and foremost her husband, Sam. Barbara and Sam shared a full and joyful life. From Baltimore to Maine to Israel and Russia, from California to Florida, they loved, they traveled, they learned, and they made friends wherever they landed. They smuggled books into and out of Russia to Jewish refuse-niks, led missions of American Jews to drum up support for refugees from Africa and Asia in Israel, and agreed, at ages 80 and 81, to raise funds and help support the founding of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women.
Barbara was proud of all of her children for exemplifying her spirit of giving. Referred to affectionately by her grandchildren as “Barbie” because “she was too young to be called grandmother,” she doted upon all of them: Anna Himmelrich (Matt Kozlov), Jacob Himmelrich (Sarah Munson Himmelrich), Carrie Salem (Emeel Salem), Ella Himmelrich, Hilary Soloff, Molly Soloff, Hannah Himmelrich, Samuel Heath Himmelrich, Max Himmelrich, and Charles Himmelrich (who predeceased her in 2020), and great-grandchildren Julia Kozlov, Henry Kozlov, Edith Himmelrich, Ansel Himmelrich, and Jack Salem.
Funeral services are private. Please omit flowers. Contributions in her memory may be sent to The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore,101 W. Mt. Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201. The family will be receiving guests at Stone Mill Bakery, 10751 Falls Rd Suite 123, Timonium, Maryland 21093, on Wednesday, November 2nd and Thursday, November 3rd from 6pm to 9pm.
Barbara was born on March 9, 1931 and she grew up in Newton, Massachusetts with her beloved sister, Elaine Levin Goldberg. At the age of 11, she lost her mother in the historic Cocoanut Grove fire of 1942, which Barbara described as the defining moment of her life.
When she was fifteen, Judy Kolker from Camp Woodlands invited her to Baltimore for a Park School dance. It was there that she met her future husband, Samuel Katz Himmelrich, who predeceased her in 2020. He said he noticed her because she was wearing purple lipstick.
Barbara and Sam kept in touch throughout the years, leading her to leave Goucher College and marry him in 1952. Together they had four children, Sue Himmelrich (Michael Soloff), Samuel K. Himmelrich, Jr. (Pamela Miller Himmelrich), Alfred Rice Himmelrich II (Dana Heath Himmelrich), and William Bernard Himmelrich (Shelly Pechter Himmelrich). When her daughter entered college in 1971, Barbara was inspired to finish her undergraduate degree, followed by her MSW at University of Maryland.
Barbara always believed that she was blessed by the kind help of others, and wanted to serve her community in the same way—and serve she did. She chaired many important service organizations, including The Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore (Chair of the Board, Chair of the 1992 Annual Campaign), national meeting of the Council of Jewish Federations Assembly, and National and Overseas Services Committee and Aged Services Committee of the Associated, and was on the board of countless service organizations including United Way of Central Maryland, Maryland Institute College of Art, House of Ruth, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Park School, and many more.
Barbara’s number one passion, though, was her family, first and foremost her husband, Sam. Barbara and Sam shared a full and joyful life. From Baltimore to Maine to Israel and Russia, from California to Florida, they loved, they traveled, they learned, and they made friends wherever they landed. They smuggled books into and out of Russia to Jewish refuse-niks, led missions of American Jews to drum up support for refugees from Africa and Asia in Israel, and agreed, at ages 80 and 81, to raise funds and help support the founding of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women.
Barbara was proud of all of her children for exemplifying her spirit of giving. Referred to affectionately by her grandchildren as “Barbie” because “she was too young to be called grandmother,” she doted upon all of them: Anna Himmelrich (Matt Kozlov), Jacob Himmelrich (Sarah Munson Himmelrich), Carrie Salem (Emeel Salem), Ella Himmelrich, Hilary Soloff, Molly Soloff, Hannah Himmelrich, Samuel Heath Himmelrich, Max Himmelrich, and Charles Himmelrich (who predeceased her in 2020), and great-grandchildren Julia Kozlov, Henry Kozlov, Edith Himmelrich, Ansel Himmelrich, and Jack Salem.
Funeral services are private. Please omit flowers. Contributions in her memory may be sent to The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore,101 W. Mt. Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201. The family will be receiving guests at Stone Mill Bakery, 10751 Falls Rd Suite 123, Timonium, Maryland 21093, on Wednesday, November 2nd and Thursday, November 3rd from 6pm to 9pm.