Barbara F. Brown

Born August 16th,1935 to Marjorie and George Frankel, Barbara, along with her brother John, relished her childhood in Shaker Heights. Barbara divided her time between hanging out with her pals in the Fernway neighborhood — many who became lifelong friends — and attending Shaker Shark practices. She spent many happy summers at Camp Walden in Maine, and many more happy summers working as a counselor at Jolly Juniors in Cleveland.

She graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1953 and attended Skidmore College, where she, according to her college roommate, unpacked the largest collection of cashmere sweaters to ever grace the campus. She continued to make lifelong friends and graduated with a degree in sociology in 1957.

Barbara returned to Cleveland and taught pre-school. One September while on her way to visit a friend, she encountered Stanley Brown. He had a full head of hair and a fancy car, and she was hooked. A month later, Stanley was visiting her when a gentleman called to ask her on a date, and she looked at Stan and then told her caller that she couldn’t go out because she was engaged. The manner in which she deftly took control of this situation surprised absolutely no one. They married in March and even though Stan lost his hair and traded in the car, Barb remained by his side for 67 years, until she held Stan’s hand when he passed away four months ago on March 30th.

In a different era, Barbara could have run a Fortune 500 company. Instead, her four children, Andy, Steven, Bob, and Jody, benefited from her incredible ability to manage a home. She attended every single sporting event – home or away – that her children participated in, prepared a home-cooked meal every night that was devoured before she had a chance to sit down at the table, and kept four kids in check. Perhaps most impressive, she selected white carpet for the living room, so confident was she that her children and dog would behave and not track dirt on it.

Whether she was working in the garden, attending a Cavaliers game, playing tennis, or out on the town with her friends, Barbara donned a perfectly curated outfit, accessories and all. And if she couldn’t find what she sought in a store, she knitted it herself. Her sense of style extended to her homes, which were decorated to the nines and showcased trinkets gathered throughout her life, from the plate she and Stan purchased on their honeymoon to a quilt from the Amish country to figurines and prints from their trips around the world.

A consummate volunteer, the Shaker schools and community benefited from her many years of dedicated service. She also volunteered in multiple capacities at Suburban Temple Kol-Ami, most notably taking a leading role when they redecorated the sanctuary. Later, when she lived on Longboat Key in Florida, she volunteered for several years at a consignment shop run by the Women’s Resource Center.

When Stan retired, Barbara really kicked it into gear. They traveled widely and often, sometimes bringing their kids and grandkids along for the experience. They relocated to Longboat Key, Florida where she enjoyed playing tennis several times a week, socializing around the pool, and entertaining. She doted on her grandchildren, giving plenty of solicited and unsolicited advice. And Barbara leaned into another talent of hers: well before AI, she was a gifted creator of poems that celebrated special events such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Barbara lived a life filled with family and friends. She showed up for people with compassion and kindness. She had a mean crosscourt forehand, believed that ice cream was a main course, and wrote marvelous thank you notes. Vivacious, devoted, and stylish, she will be missed.

Barbara is survived by her children Andy (Cindy), Steven (Pam), Robert (Darryl Uy), and Jody Podl (Tod); her grandchildren Jamie Sharrow (Pahl), Marly, Madelyn Coldren (Britain), Daniel, Caroline, Matthew, Josh, Rachel; and her great granddaughters Mary and Libby; and her sister-in-law Ruth Galan.

A memorial service will be held at Congregation Mishkan Or— 26000 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, Ohio 44122— on Sunday, August 3rd at 11 AM. The family will be sitting shiva after the memorial service at the home of Jody and Tod Podl — 24026 Laureldale Rd., Shaker Hts. Ohio. 44122— from 1:30 to 4:00 PM and on Monday, August 4th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

The livestream link is: www.mishkanor.org/worship/live-stream, and the service can be found under the “Chapel” heading.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Berkowitz Kumin and Bookatz Memorial Chapel in Cleveland Heights, OH.

Those who wish may make a contribution in Barbara’s honor to Ketcha Outdoors, www.ketchaoutdoors.org, 336 Black Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074