Obituary
Barbara Klein Makstein died on March 5, 2019. She was born on April 26, 1930. Her long life was one mostly focused on service to family and friends, as well as being fully committed to enhancing childhood education.
Barbara married Floyd at the age of 21 and began her family at the age of 23. She was an incredibly dedicated mom to her three kids, took amazing care of her husband, and worked through the years as a nursery school teacher (Happy Time Nursery School), reading teacher and salesperson for Childcraft/World Book Encyclopedia, as well as serving as president of the school PTA .
She was a networker extraordinaire and loved collecting a vast array of friends. Once you met Barbara, it was clear that you quickly graduated to a cared-about member of her inner circle. She deeply connected with everyone she met including newcomers and strangers. She served as the loved and loving matriarch of her growing extended family when her only sibling died just as her kids were beginning to add grandchildren to the mix. It is so gratifying to hear stories of how much she meant to so many loved ones. At the end of her life, with a mind progressively ravaged by Dementia, she never lost her incredible sense of graciousness and kind compassion, always being ready to brush aside her own needs so she could be of service to others in any way she could discern. Upon learning that she died, her oldest friend stated that “Barbara was the kindest, most good-natured person I ever met, and I knew her since she was 8 years old”. We can’t think of a better tribute or more complete description of who she was than that.
Barbara will be sorely missed by her three children, Neil (Lisa) Makstein, Cindy (Jon) Chase and Marshall (Adrienne) Makstein , her grandchildren Jason (Melanie)Makstein, Alyson Makstein, Matthew (Jill) Chase, Amanda Chase, Madelaine & Rachel Makstein her great-grandchildren Hazel and Brooks Makstein (Jason/Mel) and her many nieces, their children and children’s children. Her own journey has ended but her legacy of caring and compassion lives on in the generations she created with her adoring partner Floyd.
Arrangements by Sinai Chapels. jewishfunerals.com