Barbara Portnoy Marmorstein's Obituary
Barbara Portnoy Marmorstein, 85, of Tampa, Florida passed away on April 9 in Fort Lauderdale. A native New Yorker known for her wit, she would joke that she spent the last 35 years as a “Tampon” in her adopted state of Florida. Barbara maintained her intellectual curiosity her whole life: she graduated University of Miami with honors at age 19, continued on through masters studies and participated in several Zoom classes over the pandemic.
Her community activities are too numerous to count: she was an usher for the Tampa Performing Arts Center for over two decades, filed tax returns for area seniors each year, taught adults to read, was an adopted grandmother to ‘orphan’ families in Tampa, and sang in a community choir where she visited nursing homes fondly singing “Let me call you Sweetheart” to lucky residents with her tender heart and warm smile. She brought homemade baked goods to the pharmacist, chocolates to her handyman and gifts for her tech guy’s grandkids. Friends and family will remember her as a warm and genuine lady with a sharp wit and a compassionate heart.
Barbara raised her four children Warren, Howard, Scot and Nancy and her home was always open to friends and family. She is survived by her four children and her grandchildren Eli, Caleb, Hannah and Ben.
To the end, Barbara’s humor shone through. When asked if she was comfortable, she replied “I did ok, I made a good living.”
A private funeral will be held in New York where she will be laid to rest with her beloved parents Sam and Eva Portnoy. An online shiva will be held Thursday April 15 in the evening (contact her daughter [email protected] if you would like to attend). In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a contribution to the Autism Society www.autism-society.org. Arrangements by Levitt Weinstein Blasberg Rubin Zilbert (305) 932-2700.
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