Remembering Mom
-- With Love and Admiration, your son Bruce

If I had to pick one trait to describe my mom, Barbara Kringel Friedricks--besides being a stunningly beautiful lady with a wonderful smile--it would be that she was the consummate "doer."

Our Babsy was at the top of her game and happiest when she was on the go, doing things.  Fun things.  Worthwhile things.  Especially with or for people whom she cared about.  Her dear husband Marty.  Her children.  Her sister Nancy and brother Alan.  Her parents, Ray and Pop Pop.  Extended family.  Close friends since childhood and so on.

Truth be told.  it could sometimes be exhausting keeping up with Babsy's doings.  But most certainly it was worth the energy expended.

When mom wasn't doing something,  it was because she was planning what she would do next.  A round of golf.  A few sets of tennis.  The Jets vs. Patriots.  An exotic vacation with her honey.  Dinner at the club with local friends.

A doer.

Who strived to live life to its fullest each and every day.  And did her best to make sure we did the same.  Mary Louise, mom's dear friend from the Meadows in Sarasota recounted an instance when Babsy called her up to go out to dinner and a movie.  "I'm not feeling up to going out this evening," sighed Mary Louise  "Nonsense" my mom replied.  "Why waste a perfectly good evening.  We'll have fun.  I'll be over in 10 minutes."  Mary Louise went along.  And was thankful for my mom's insistence. Babsy was right.

My mother the doer ... who made 45 Farm Lane in Lake Success a great place to grow up.  It was roomy, tastefully decorated, comfortable and filled with memories in the making.

Like the great Jewish mother that she was, mom made sure we never went hungry.  Food was plentiful.  The meals weren't always nutritious or low in cholesterol.  But they tasted great, and she knew her clan would eat them.

In hindsight, we should have bought stock in Kraft Foods for all the Velveeta cheese my mom included as a primary ingredient in her countless kid friendly meals:  Tuna Buns with Velveeta cheese.  French Bread stuffed with ground beef, onions and Velveeta cheese.  And who could forget that Friedricks classic, Spaghetti, tomato sauce ... with melted gooey Velveeta cheese on top.  In the Friedricks household Velveeta, if you could even call it cheese, became its own food group.

The aromas coming out of Babsy's kitchen were intoxicating. 

Macintosh apples, stewing on the stove top for what would become homeade, cinammon apple sauce.  Or which were destined for a freshly baked Sour Cream Apple Pie.  The apples harvested from our very own tree.

A mouth watering Pot Roast lovingly prepared for Sunday dinner served with a generous helping of that extra special rice dish my mom loved to make, which we'd devour.

As much as my mom took tremendous pride in making a delicious and satisfying meal, she loved to entertain.  And hosting great parties was high on Chris and Marty's "to do" list.  A small sampling ...  Annual fishing trips for 40 or so of our closest friends from the community.  Cocktail and dinner parties.  Summer clam bakes.  Birthday parties.  Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.  Passovers seders.  Ray and Pop Pops 50th.  Linda and Rob's wedding reception.  Ken and my Bar Mitzvahs.  And so on.  And she knew how to always invite the right mix of people to a get together.  Case in point, that August barbeque where the guest list included, among others, yours truly and a young lady who I barely knew at the time named Amy Ravitch. 

When she wasn't doing, she was telling ... interesting or amusing anecdotes some of which we'd hear over and over again.  Whether about an everyday occurence or special event, my mom's reminiscenes were sure to invoke a smile or bring on laughter.  I'll share two of them.

Chris Hausman, was a master carpenter who worked on the addition to our house.  My mom had not seen or heard from him in quite some time.  As Chris was much older than my mom and getting on in years, she wondered a loud to a friend (perhaps Joan Spiro) whether he had passed on.  One day while shopping in Great Neck, low and behold our Chris ran into Mr. Hausman.  Upon seeing my mom he remarked with much surprise, "Mrs. Friedricks, I thought you had passed."  Needless to say both were alive and well.

My mom loved to tell the story of how eight year old Bruce was cast as a violin playing minstrel in the Purim musical at Temple Bethel.  They must have been short on costumes, because mine consisted of a red and blue terry cloth bathrobe.  In the midst of the performance, an elderly woman tapped my mom on the shoulder pointed at me on the stage and whispered, "who is that old lady?"  The lighting must have been bad.

I'm sure each of you have some gems by or about our dear Babsy.  We'd love to hear them.

Doing for our Babsy frequently meant traveling. 

Sometimes as a family.  Alone with my dad or her sister Nancy.  From Grand Bahama Island and Great Harbor Cay to the Catskills and the Poconos.  From Jerusalem in the snow to an African Safari, the Galapagos and countless cruises to fascinating and exotic locales.  She could not wait to take her next trip and has been to more places, I would argue, than Carmen Sandiego. Becoming a travel agent allowed her to feed her delightful obsession.

She was also a doer unto others.

For years on Tuesday mornings she volunteered at North Shore University Hospital. Upon moving to Sarasota, my mom and dad became docents at the Mote Marine Laboratory where they answered questions about their new found friends two adorable Manatees named Hugh and Buffet, as well as Sea Turtles, Dolphins and other fabulous creatures of the deep.

On a more personal note, my mom selflessly opened up our home to her mother during her decline.  Years she lovingly cared for our dad during his inevitable decline from Parkinson's Disease.

What are my fondest memories of my mom?  Where do I start?

Taking long walks with her by the water at Jones Beach, the Inwood Beach Club, and in later years, Siesta Key.

Enjoying musicals such as The Kind and I, Carousel, and Showboat out at the Jones Beach amphitheater on the water on warm summer evenings proceeded by a dinner buffet fit for a king.

Taking Ken and I to Europe, and while we were in Paris she took us to the Moulin Rouge to celebrate my 13th birthday.

Letting me miss school to attend game 3 of the 1969 World Series featuring the Miracle Mets, and then writing me a note to hand to the Mrs. Alscheler beforehand that I had an eye doctor's appointment.  Didn't go over so well when the class and teacher had been watching the game and saw me on TV.

Watching McEnroe battle Connors at the U.S. Open Tennis Matches.  Cheering on the Jets through thick and thin at Shea and later the Meadowlands.

My mom holding my daughter Emily on the day of her birth. Getting down on the carpet and playing with Emily and Henry when they were little and reading them bedtime stories.

Listening to her and dad sing their favorite college fight songs though sorely out of key.  Listening to her play the piano and sing her favorite song of them all Arive Aderci Roma.

Skyping or talking on the phone between Sarasota and San Francisco.  Nearly every day since my dad passed.

All the times she was there for me ... when I needed her the most.

Perhaps Dr. Seuss put it best when he said, "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."  Mom, indeed you gave us a lot to smile about.  Thank you for so many wonderful years filled with laughter and good times. Thank you for all you've done for us and with us.  You truly knew how to live life, and made ours so much the richer for it.  You'll forever be in our hearts.  Much love, and god bless.

kind thoughts go to celebrate the person and life of Barbara and my joy getting to know her and touch my life.
Often the greatest jouneys in life are those that weren't on the itinerary.

My deepest sympathy to the family.
Sorina.

Kris was a wonderful neighbor and a good friend.  I"ll miss her very much.I loved her sense of humor and we had many laughs together. My deepest sympathy.

I am so sorry for you loss. I had the pleasure of working with Barbara on Monday mornings  at the Marine Mammal Center at Mote. She shared her love of the sea turtles, manatees, and dolphins with visitors of all ages, always with a smile on face. She was so proud of her family and looked forward to her visits and Skype sessions with her sister in Isreal.  I will miss her smile and sassy attitude!.

To all the Friedricks family,
My name is Mary Elm, and I am president of the Wheaton class of 1950.
Chris was a good friend and we traveled together to our reunion in 2010.  Had a great time together.
And in early 2011 the Tampa area classmates, spouses, visiting roomates etc. all got together at Chris' lovely home and we had SUCH a good time.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all.  Sincerely, Mary

We shared so many nice memories of many years ago. I am so sorry for your loss and I will miss her too. I don't know any of you except Nancy and I don't know how to reach her. My deepest sympathy to all of you. Sincerely, Marge Sagman

OBITUARY

Barbara Friedricks

28 August, 1928 – 8 July, 2012

Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park

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