Barbara Ann Falk, MD “Barb” (nee Ciborowski), aged 79 of Elkridge, Maryland, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, pediatrician and friend passed away peacefully surrounded by love at the Gilchrist Hospice in Columbia, Maryland on July 22, 2021 after a brave battle against pancreatic cancer.
Born to loving parents, Casimer Ciborowski and Ann Ciborowski (nee Zajac), on August 28, 1941 in Wyandotte, Michigan, Barbara was the eldest of three; predeceased by brother Kenneth and survived by brother James (Patty). The close-knit family moved to Dearborn, Michigan when Barbara was in the fourth grade. Barb is survived by her best friend, husband and loyal companion of 46 years John Carl Falk, her pride and joys-daughter Ann Marie (Michael) and son Carl (Christy) and cherished grandchildren (Aviana, Maxwell, Zarina, Nati, Everett, and Marina).
Barb’s intelligence, ambition, and quiet strength showed through when she graduated from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy in 1963 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Pharmacy. Barb was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority house where she made several lifelong friends and told stories of mischief that brought a smile to her face years later. After working as a pharmacist for 8 years Barb enrolled at Wayne State University School of Medicine, fulfilling an audacious dream in 1975 of becoming a pediatrician. Upon graduation, Barb married sweetheart John (the pair met and married within a year and were described as lovebirds and walked together through life’s ups and downs) and the pair settled in the Chicago area (Long Ave, Chicago and Northbrook). It was here that Barb completed her four year pediatric internship and residency at Chicago’s Childrens Memorial Hospital and then worked, most notably, at Pediatric Associates of the North Shore, ending her career practicing in Marinette, Wisconsin getting a taste of rural medicine and life.
Retirement for Barb became a time of adventure. Initially, Barb moved to her vacation cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan located directly on the shores of Lake Michigan. This special spot was bought a month before their first child was born then became the home of many happy family adventures, starting as a place to tent camp with kerosene stove and well water at the ready and growing into a small compound with a “little cabin”, “big cabin”, garage with game area, and an old root cellar built in 1880 by the homesteader of the land. In her seventies, Barb followed her grandchildren around the country and lived in Fort Myers, Florida, Santa Clarita, California, and Elkridge, Maryland.
Barb had varied interests throughout her life but found profound joy in being a grandmother for almost 12 years. Throughout life Barb enjoyed travel, especially to places off the beaten path. In her youth she traveled internationally to ski the Swiss Alps with her girlfriends, took a road trip cross country to Seattle, and enjoyed family time on Lake Huron. The love of travel continued once she started a family with notable trips to Ireland, Italy, and a canal boat trip in Wales. Barb’s athletic talent was seen until months before her death on the tennis courts. She loved being outdoors—especially near a forest or lake, was a passionate gardener, cook, and baker. Barb will always be remembered as making the best chocolate chip cookies and Pierogis from an old Polish family recipe. She spent her quiet time as an avid reader (favorite genre being mystery), playing hearts, doing crossword puzzles, knitting (making sure everyone in the family had a Christmas stocking) and listening to classical music (preferably played on the piano by John or her grandchildren). Never one to act her age ,in her sixties Barb taught herself to play the Recorder and Clarinet, and took up dogsledding in the winter! Barb was also a captivating storyteller—usually making people laugh with stories throughout her life.
In lieu of formal services, at the request of Barb, she will be cremated and her ashes will be spread in the magical, blue-green waters of the Pine Island Sound located in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore of her beloved North Captiva Island during Barb’s favorite season of spring. It was Barb’s wish to be buried in the water as,“water, everywhere on Earth, is connected and so if she resides in the water then whenever someone looks at water she will be there with them.” A celebration of life will be planned in the Fort Myers area in Spring 2022-details to follow.
Barbara Ann Falk truly had a life well lived. She is already missed deeply but her love and spirit live on in her beloved family and friends.
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