Barbara Hertzberg

On July 31, 2022, Barbara Hertzberg (née Small), age 79, died peacefully in her sleep after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. Barbara was a devoted mother to David (Brandy Mitchell) and Julie (David Clapperton), loving grandmother to Paige, Alice and Madeleine, and devoted sister to Milton. She is predeceased by her brother Joel.

Barbara was born June 8, 1943 and grew up in Rockaway Beach and Far Rockaway, Queens. After graduating Far Rockaway HS, she moved to Manhattan where she worked as a secretary for various firms. She married Michael Hertzberg in 1969 and had two children, Julie and David.

In the mid 1980s, Barbara began working as an executive recruiter, specializing in the financial field. In 2001 - in the wake of 9/11 - she founded Barbara Hertzberg Associates, and ran this successful recruiting business all on her own for many years before retiring in 2008.

Barbara was a strong, independent woman who loved her family and friends deeply. She had many adventures with her companion of 25 years, Mike Graziano. She enjoyed traveling, venturing all over the world to places as varied as Morocco, Estonia and Argentina. She loved cooking as much as she loved eating out at her favorite upper east side restaurants, and enjoyed shopping at her favorite store, Bloomingdale’s, where she never failed to make friends with the employees who helped her. Barbara charmed people wherever she went, and kept many loyal and loving friends all throughout her life. She was a proud grandma, loving her three granddaughters as much as a grandmother possibly could, and reliably showering them with gifts at every occasion. She will be missed by all who knew her, but her memory will live on in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Michael J. Fox foundation. Donations can be made online at michaeljfox.org/donate.