Betty Schwarcz was born on April 5, 1929 in Cleveland, OH to Esther and Ben Zake, who immigrated from Tetiiv in current day Ukraine. Betty and her brother Harry were raised speaking Yiddish and attending language and cultural classes at the Workman’s Circle. Her mother Esther was a genius seamstress, and Betty was always the best-dressed girl in school, with many friends and admirers.
Betty received a secretarial certificate and later married Morris Darnovsky of Cleveland, OH in 1949. They had two daughters, Marcy and Sharon. Morris taught math at Case Western Reserve, was the director of the Real Property Inventory and later founded Market Research Services. Morris died of cancer tragically young in 1963, and Betty married George Schwarcz in 1964. Together, Betty and George grew Market Research Services, a market research company in the early days of the industry. The company thrived, and they eventually bought an office building, had outposts in a couple shopping malls, and employed dozens of people, many of them housewives who worked part time doing customer surveys. After she retired, she spent time volunteering, traveling, playing golf and visiting her family around the country.
Until she developed dementia, Betty was always vivacious, outgoing and outspoken. She had many friends from throughout her life and close ties with her extended family. Betty was an important keeper of much of the family history, both the Zake family and the Darnovsky family, retaining every relational detail of her clan. She was sharp as a tack, a wonderful storyteller, and she had a quick wit and many trademark sayings. In her last years she was befriended and cared for by an amazing team at Helen’s Place.
Betty is survived by her children Marcy Darnovsky of Oakland, CA and Sharon Rumberger of Goleta, CA and their husbands Barry Zuckerman and Russell Rumberger; four granddaughters Anne Rumberger of Chicago, IL; Emily Jacobson of Powell River, BC; Jenna Rumberger of Seattle, WA; and Morissa Kellman of Oakland, CA; and two great-grandsons Allen Ray and Ira Jacobson.
A graveside service will take place on Monday, March 31st at 2pm at Mount Olive Cemetery, 27855 Aurora Road, Solon, OH 44139.
Donations in Betty’s memory can be made to The Gathering Place (www.touchedbycancer.org), a nonprofit that supports families currently coping with cancer, where Betty spent many years volunteering.
Arrangements were made under the supervision of Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel.
