Barbara Ellen Brodkin passed away peacefully after a sudden and rapid decline in her health on June 29, 2024, surrounded by her friends.
Barbara was born on March 14, 1952, in Newark, NJ. She was the daughter of the late Nathan and Lillian (Levine) Brodkin. She grew up in Brookline, MA, and the family moved to Union, NJ, where she completed high school. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University in NY.
After college, Barbara moved to the Boston, MA area, and began her lifelong career in elder care, working as an Activities Director and Nursing Home Advocate in her earlier years, and later in her career she started her own business as an Elder Care Service Provider and Driver to her many beloved clients. She will always be remembered for the kindness and compassion she gave to the clients she worked with, always being there for them in times of illness or adversity. She would always go above and beyond for anyone who needed her. Her commitment to her work with seniors was admirable, and she left a lasting impact on those she cared for.
For the past 30 years, Barbara lived in Dedham, MA., with her beloved dogs, and was fortunate to have a large network of loving, caring friends and neighbors. She adored her niece and nephew in New Jersey, and her two great nephews, and was extremely proud of all of their accomplishments. Although Barbara had no children of her own, she was lovingly referred to as “Aunt Bitsy” by the children and grandchildren of her close friends. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary, loved holidays and joining in family and friends’ parties and get-togethers, and was sure to start a good conversation debating the current politics of the day.
She had a keen intellect and wonderful sense of humor, enjoyed going to the theater, concerts, and was extremely interested in the arts. She enjoyed her beloved NY Times crossword puzzles, and amazed those who were fortunate enough to watch Jeopardy with her, as she would miss very few questions. She also had a keen sense of fashion, loved all things that had sparkle and glitter, and was known as “the cool aunt” for her spikey hairstyle with the purple streak.
She leaves behind a sister, Susan Herskovitz and her husband, Paul, her niece, Dori Saler and her husband, Justin, her nephew, Jeffrey Herskovitz, and her two great nephews, Logan and Dylan.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family are asked to make a donation to the MSPCA, as Barbara was a lifelong animal lover.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at a future date this summer, and family and friends will be notified.