Harriet L. Baritz

The loving sister of Sheila Ganz, who has a daughter and three grandchildren, and Dr. Robert Baritz, his wife Lorraine and two sons, David and Mark Baritz. Mark is married to Nikki Baritz.

Dear daughter of the late David Baritz and Ruth Baritz. She grew up in Lynn, MA, attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, from 1967-1969, and majored in Art History.

Harriet and Sheila shared a room growing up. Our brother, Robert’s room was across the short hall. Our house was just a few blocks from the beach, which we all loved. In school, Harriet got the best grades of the three of us.

She loved going to our grandparents’ house on Sundays and getting together with all of our cousins on holidays. Nana planted tulips around the house and made the best lemon meringue pie, and Papa kept great big balls of bubble gum in the glove compartment of his car in the garage for us kids.

Harriet and Sheila took painting lessons as young teenagers. Harriet later took piano lessons while in high school. She bought an electric keyboard and really enjoyed playing music. After high school, Harriet attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she majored in Art History. She left after a long bout with mononucleosis.

After our father passed away in 1985, Mum and Harriet moved to Brockton to be near our brother Robert and his family. Harriet loved working as a Library Assistant at the Brockton Public Library from 1988 to 1991 until the state cut funding. She remained friends with her supervisor. She joined the Jewish Community Center and enjoyed meeting people and taking part in activities.

She then worked as a Medical Records Specialist for her brother Robert, who is a chiropractor, from 1992 until 2006, when she took a medical leave due to an injury to her hand. In 2002, our mother fell and fractured her pelvis. There were stairs in the house, and Harriet became our mother’s caregiver. Harriet was also a big help when our grandfather fell ill, and when our dear Aunt Joan fell ill. Harriet always loved and cared about the well-being of her family.

Throughout the years, Harriet pursued her love of art. She painted with Sumi ink and watercolors and loved to paint birds and flowers. Harriet exhibited her work in a group show at the Brockton Museum.

Harriet flew to San Francisco twice to visit her sister Sheila. They enjoyed really nice week-long visits seeing the sights and going to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. They have always been close and spoke every week for years. When Sheila visited every year, Harriet and Sheila would have lunch at a sub shop, then get donuts and drive to Brockton Park. They sat by the pond, talked, enjoyed their donuts, and watched the swans. On one visit, Sheila took a photo of Harriet smiling.

Unfortunately, in the summer of 2009, Harriet’s psychiatrist retired. She had been on mild medication for mental illness. She could not find another psychiatrist she liked. When her prescriptions ran out, her mental health took a turn for the worse. It took months before she was back on medication, but she never recovered from the long break.

In May 2013, our mother passed away. Sheila began the search for the best facility to move Harriet to San Francisco. During that time, Harriet fell and had a partial hip replacement. After a long wait on a list, Sheila was finally able to move her dear sister to a good skilled nursing facility in San Francisco in February 2016. Harriet had her own room, bathroom, and television. Her favorite shows were Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Sheila visited her twice a week and called every day. The staff would tell Sheila that when Harriet smiled, it lit up their day. Harriet was also afflicted with Parkinson’s, which our father had. For the past couple of years, she could not walk. In the past ten months, she could not use her hands.

In September last year, Harriet wasn’t doing well and was taken to the emergency room. She was at high risk for aspiration and I signed her onto hospice. It was a long recovery, but she started to rally. Though unfortunately, she could not use her hands. And Robert came for a visit which was great.

This past March, Harriet and Sheila took part in the birthday luncheon the facility held for all of the residents with birthdays in March. There was a wonderful piano player for background music, and the new chef made a delicious lunch. Afterwards, Harriet told Sheila it was fun, and even with memory issues, she still remembered having fun at the luncheon days later. Two things Harriet loved were when Sheila read to her from a favorite passage in a little book by Norman Vincent Peale and looking at pictures in small photo albums of her visits and happy times with the family.

In June 2024, after years of staying healthy, Harriet contracted COVID-19, which was going around the floor of the facility. Sheila visited and also caught it for the first time. They were both on medication, but Harriet was unable to overcome one more health issue. That afternoon, Sheila read to her dear sister, and then she peacefully passed away.

A funeral service for Harriet Baritz will be held privately at the Congregation Shirat Hayam Cemetery in the Beth El Section at 506 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA 01960.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to a charity of your choice.