BARBARA HORWITZ
1936-2021
Barbara Lee (Lit) Horwitz, born on June 15, 1936, passed away on August 30, 2021 at her Houston home at the age of 85.
Barbara was born and raised in the Orthodox Jewish community of Memphis, TN where she learned family heirloom recipes like her legendary fluffy Matzo Balls, cornbread stuffing and mint brownies. The eldest of 3 children, she attended and graduated Central
High in 1954 around the same time that her forever favorite performer – Elvis Presley – graduated from her rival high school (Arnold Palmer and Paul Newman were later added to her list of do-no wrong celebrities). She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she continues to be honored as Intramural Shuffleboard Champion and graduating with honors in 1958.
Barbara married Kenny Horwitz in 1958 and they moved to Houston, where she taught 7th grade English in the public school system for 2 years to support her family until her first son, Jeff, was born in 1960. After 2 years in Roswell, NM, the family returned to Houston where she was blessed with her second son Scott in 1966 and then again in 1968 with her daughter Valerie.
In addition to raising her family, Barbara held leadership positions in support of the Jewish community. She was a strong presence at Congregation Beth Yeshurun (Sisterhood – Martha Lea Stein Woman of Achievement Award; Board of the Day School), and at The Emery/Weiner School (Board member), but she focused most of her time over the years in support of Hadassah. She served as President at the Houston chapter/group and Southwest region level, served as a member of the Hadassah National Board, and was Vice-Chair of the Hadassah Leadership Academy - working tirelessly to train future Hadassah leaders across the country.
After fighting and winning against breast cancer in the mid-1990’s, Barbara renewed her love of travel and took regular trips with her family and friends around the world. She also travelled as much as possible to see and be with her 3 beloved grandchildren, often driving for hours or flying across the country to see a volleyball game, a dance recital or a high school musical. Barbara shared her love and presence so freely with everyone she encountered that her children’s friends and their children – and her grandchildren’s friends – loved her, celebrated with her and knew her as their family.
Family was a guiding beacon throughout Barbara’s life. She brought her children to Tennessee every summer to connect them to their Memphis family and actively participated in the milestones, celebrations, holidays of her extended family. She was young at heart and was equally comfortable at a black-tie dinner, a Rolling Stones concert, or a bouncy house birthday party. She is preceded in death by her parents Irvin Lit and Norma Makowsky Lit. She is survived by Kenny, her brothers Jerome (Judy) and Lester (Roslyn); sister- and brother-in-law Annette and
Larry Sondock; children Jeff, Treva, Scott, Missy, Valerie and Matt; grandchildren Josh, Sara and Aiden; nieces and nephews Elisha, Larry, Tara, Steven, Mark, Jennifer, Lisa, Doug, Ira, Jin, Terri, Jeff, Amy, Andy, Margot, Patrick, Illysa and Michael; grandnieces/nephews Erika, Lindsey, Joe, Gabe, Lizzie, Sam, Rachel, Joseph, Jayson, Jared, Jolie, Bradley, Ruby, Cassidy, Andrew, Natalie and Kenny.
Memorial donations may be made in her memory to Hadassah, Beth Yeshurun Day School (Houston, TX), The Emery/Weiner School (Houston, TX), or the charity of your choice.