Wanda Quintana Herskowitz

Wanda Joan Quintana Herskowitz died Sunday, March 27, 2022 at her home in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY. Born in Queens, NY on December 1, 1948, Wanda was a New Yorker through and through. She grew up in the Rockaways and Jackson Heights in Queens, which instilled in her a love of being outside and experiencing the beautiful diversity of NYC. She long held an apartment and office on the Upper West Side, but made her home and raised her girls in her beautiful home in Park Slope.

Wanda’s ethics and values, instilled in her by her own parents and grandparents, emphasized humanity, loyalty, honesty and generosity. She was a licensed psychotherapist, and helped many different people in this capacity both formally and informally. Psychotherapy for Wanda was more than an occupation or profession – it was a calling and a cause that she devoted herself to for more than 40 years. She started her career at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, where she worked sympathetically with severely mentally ill patients, and maintained a private practice up until last year where she devoted her time and energy to supporting her patients suffering from depression and substance abuse.

Wanda was committed to expanding her knowledge and reach in this profession, and in her early-50s pursued the study of early childhood education at Columbia University’s Teachers College to dedicate her career to her real passion of helping new mothers and their children. She worked tirelessly to increase her fluency in Spanish, so that she could take on a full caseload of Spanish-speaking families. Over the years, she worked at various Head Start Programs in the neighborhoods of Sunset Park, Brooklyn and Corona, Queens where she supported primarily Hispanic families. Through her commitment and creativity, she developed customized family counseling programs that centered the mental health needs of new mothers and developmental milestones of their young children in her care.

Outside of her profession, she loved the arts and humanities, which were instilled in her by her late mother, Carol Trier. Wanda explored the world through her love of European and African art and literature. She was an avid reader and loved to see these works firsthand whether abroad or at her treasured museums in NYC with her loving daughter Julieanne. As a true Renaissance woman, in addition to the arts, she was also a rabid sports fan; cheering on the Knicks and watching sports of all kinds was a favorite past time that she shared with her daughter Annelise.

Wanda’s love of beauty and the aesthetic translated to her garden and home. From her potted garden in front of her apartment building on Garfield Street to her beautiful “urban garden” on 3rd Street, she took incredible care of and had immense pride in the beautiful flowers that she cultivated. Her deep knowledge of botany extended to the many years she served as a docent at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which gave her much joy to share this beauty and knowledge with others.

Wanda inherited a humanitarian spirit of care and concern from her parents, especially her father, Bernard Ganz, who hired disadvantaged and formerly incarcerated men at his small cafeteria in Brooklyn. Her mother and maternal grandmother cared deeply about those who were most needy – a tradition that Wanda continued throughout her life.

Her greatest achievement (according to Wanda herself) was the guidance and mothering of Julieanne and Annelise, her two beautiful, kind, intelligent, multi-talented, and loving daughters. She was the most supportive, caring, and involved mother; no milestone or achievement was too small to celebrate in her eyes. This unwavering support and unconditional love knew no bounds. The birth of her grandson in

April 2020 brought new joy and elation to her life. In both sickness and in health, her daughters showered her with love, devotion, and the kindness and attention she so deserved.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Michael Herskowitz, their daughters, Julieanne and Annelise, and their spouses Varun Singhal and Dr. Caroline Hu, and her beloved grandson Cameron Singhal. She is also survived by her twin sister, Linda Smith and her daughters Alissa and Jillian. She is mourned and missed by all who knew and loved her. Donations can be made in her name in memoriam to the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park.