Barbara L. Holtzman's Obituary
Barbara L Holtzman was born on May 23, 1937 in Pittsburgh, PA to Isadore and Rose Lichter. She received her B.A. and LL.B. degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. She graduated second in her class in law school at a time when there were only two other women in her class. She said she would have graduated first in her class but decided to go drinking with the guys the night before her last final. Her life truly began when she married her junior high school crush, Stuart I. Holtzman, MD on September 1, 1963. After a honeymoon driving across Canada, they lived together in IL, AZ, TX, OH, and finally settled in Tucson, AZ where they were determined to own a ranch (The Lazy Chai) and raise their four children. Barbara lost the love of her life too early but went on to live a life full of family, adventure, learning, service, and political activism. She hiked and biked in all corners of the world. To celebrate her 60th birthday she jumped out of a plane and at 65 she rode her bicycle from coast to coast with other breast cancer survivors. At 78 she was called to the Torah for her Bat Mitzvah.
Barbara is survived by her sister Louise (David) Solomon, her children Mollie (Dave) Hipp, Billie Maas, Harry (Diego) Holtzman, and Barney (Kyra) Holtzman, and most important in Bubbe’s eyes, her grandchildren Ellie, Shira, and Lola Maas, Natalie, Rebecca, Sylvia, and Jack Hipp, and Zoe, Sophie, and Naomi Holtzman. The family asks that in lieu of flowers you make a donation to, or spend some time volunteering at, your favorite charity. Some of Barbara’s favorites were Sister Jose Women’s Center (https://www.srjosewomensshelter.org/) and Congregation Chaverim (https://www.chaverim.net/).
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