Harriett L. Berkis' Obituary
Harriett Berkis, 96, of Fort Lauderdale passed away Monday, January 5, 2015. Loving mother of Lynne Levin, William O. Berkis, Jr.; cherished grandmother of Jonathan Levin, David Pearson, William O. (Billy) Berkis III and Brandon Berkis.
Born in Baltimore MD, Ms. Berkis was the daughter of Harry O. Levin, a prominent legal and political figure in Maryland and the sister of Hon. Marshall A. Levin, a Baltimore Circuit Court Magistrate of many years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in 1939.
In Baltimore she was a charter member of Brandeis University Women's Auxilliary and was also a charter member of the "City of Hope", a Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was also active in Hadassah, the Associated Jewish Charities and the Council of Jewish Women. In Fort Lauderdale she was a charter member of "Friends For Life", a Center for Research in Medical Educaion at the University of Miami.
Her career included receiving a N.A.S.D. Certificate in Baltimore enabling her to sell Mutual Funds which she did for some time. She then went into advertising sales, firstly at the Baltimore News American and in New York she worked at Dow Jones for the National Observer. In Fort Lauderdale, she sold advertising at the "Hi Riser".
Ms. Berkis was a Realtor-Associate in Fort Lauderdale from 1974 until her retirement in 1999. In 2002 she joined The Volunteer Staff at the Broward County Main Library to offer her services as a Docent until 2007. During all these years Ms. Berkis designed and made clothes for herself, her daughter and eventually for others. She continued this practice for many years. She returned to studying art in Fort Lauderdale and produced paintings and many crafts until late in her long life. At age 91 she became a iPad artist, producing a colorful collection of sketches which were displayed in an art show at her residence, the Sea Ranch Club.
There will be a "Celebration of Life" service for her family and close friends.
The family request memorial contributions to::
Friends for Life, Univeristy of Miami, PO Box 016960 (D41), Miami, FL 33101.
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