1922-2019
Barbara Heling (nee Bertha Ugent) passed away on August 23, 2019 in North Miami, Florida, just one week shy of her 97th birthday. Born on September 1, 1922, Barbara spent her early years moving frequently between Chicago and Milwaukee. Her parents, Jacob and Rose (nee Kardon) Ugent, had immigrated to America from Lithuania and Poland in the early 1900s. Jacob had done many things during his life, but supported his family as a furrier, opening and working at Ugent Furs with his siblings in Milwaukee. Barbara would often reminisce about her early childhood in Chicago, and how she could get around the city at age five, by herself, taking buses and riding the overhead trains of the El. She always loved dancing and won a Charleston competition in Chicago at age four. Her propensity for independence was evident in her childhood and stayed with her throughout her life.
In 1939 she graduated from West Division High School in Milwaukee. During World War II she worked at Allis Chalmers, helping to make equipment that supported the war effort. With her mother's untimely death in 1947, she had the responsibility of helping to raise her youngest brother Donald. During the war she also corresponded and socialized with two men who would forever change her life. She married one of these men, Sidney Bernfeld, in 1943. Sidney was an art student, and he influenced her development as an artist. Tragically, he died only seven years later as a result of epilepsy. Throughout the war she corresponded with Robert Heling, who was a mutual friend of she and Sidney, and she married him in 1951. Robert and Barbara (then known as Bertha) initially lived in New Berlin, Wisconsin, and later lived in Milwaukee until 1966. Robert worked as a manager of A&P Foods while Barbara stayed home raising their two children, Susan and David.
During the 1950s and 60s Barbara worked consistently to develop her artistic talents, occasionally taking classes at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee. Initially she worked with oil paints and her children have strong memories of the house reeking of turpentine and linseed oil when they came home from school. Following her parents, Robert, Barbara, and the kids moved to Hollywood, Florida in 1966. By the late 1960s Barbara was an award-winning artist in Hollywood and was actively involved in the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood. She showed at many juried art exhibitions, including the prestigious Hort, and won countless prizes over the years. She eventually expanded her skills to watercolors and pastels, and she never stopped learning new techniques. Beginning in the 1980s she taught watercolor and drawing courses through Broward County Schools sponsored continuing education courses in Pembroke Pines. Barbara loved teaching and fortunately was able to continue this until her late 80s, thereby having a positive impact on many students over the years.
Barbara valued everything related to art. Even on a small budget she frequently redecorated her home, not by buying new things, but re-purposing the things she already had. She loved thrift shops and often picked up items to up-cycle or refurbish. Visitors to her home were often greeted by sculptures or displays there were built with unique combinations of items of materials. Besides art, Barbara also loved music, attending plays and concerts, going to the movies, and fashion.
Barbara loved and cherished her family most of all. She never worked at a regular job while her children were growing up and was home to greet them after school. She always had time to listen to their problems and help them effectively deal with pressing situations. Barbara tended to smile her way through difficult situations whenever possible. She always persevered, and encouraged her brothers, husband, children and grandchildren to do the same. With the unexpected death of her husband Robert in 1995, Barbara had to regroup and, for the first time, live alone. In 1999 she moved to Century Village in Pembroke Pines.
Barbara is survived by her daughter Susan (Michael) Kaplan of Eagle River, Alaska; her son Devon (Joanne) Halder of Nampa Idaho; her grandson Jonathan (Courtney) Kaplan of Charlotte, North Carolina; her sister-in-law Vivian (Donald) Ugent of Carbondale, Illinois; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. In death she joins many friends and relatives including her husbands Robert Heling and Sidney Bernfeld, her parents Jacob and Rose Ugent (nee Kardon) her stepmother Jennie Ugent (nee Borkin) her brothers Irving and Donald Ugent, her sister-in-law Carol (Irving) Ugent, and her granddaughter Shayna Kaplan.
Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday August 27th at 11:00 AM at Lakeside Memorial Park Chapel, 10301 NW 25th Street, Miami.
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