Robin Brasso

1942 - 2020

Robin Foreman Brasso
September 13, 1942 - June 6, 2020
Robin Foreman Brasso passed away at her home in San Francisco on June 6, 2020. She celebrated her 39th birthday every year, but Robin was born on September 13, 1942, in Chicago and arrived in San Francisco at age 3. A San Franciscan to her core, Robin was active in every facet of the city, from politics to arts and culture to education. She dedicated 37 years of teaching at three middle schools in the San Francisco Unified School District: Portola, Ben Franklin and Potrero Hill, and shared her love of theatre, opera, film, literature and the 49ers with her students.

Robin was a passionate advocate for equality, social justice and civil rights. Robin served on the Board of United Educators of San Francisco for 20 years as well as on UESF's bargaining team. In the last decade, Robin became deeply involved in the leadership of the National Council of Jewish Women San Francisco and was awarded the 2016 NCJW SF Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award. She passionately worked on shaping the NCJW SF's advocacy and policy projects, and founded the Lillian Foreman Memorial Scholarship annually awarded to youth at risk of violence and exploitation. In recent years, she served on the Legislative Committee for UESF-Retired Division, and as Board member of NCJW SF, San Francisco Democratic Women in Action, Democratic Women's Forum and Raoul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club, and as a member of American Association of University Women, American Jewish World Service, Friends of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, California Women Lead, Hadassah and California Alliance for Retired Americans. Robin dedicated many years of volunteer service working on the Board of Directors of the Anti-Defamation League. She regularly attended the Women's Summit in Sacramento, UN Commission on the Status of Women's annual forums and NCJW's and CARA's lobby missions in Sacramento. In addition, she participated in the meetings of the Family Violence Council, Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking and San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking representing NCJW.

Robin graduated from Lincoln High School in 1960, attended Hebrew school at Congregation Emanu-El, starred in multiple performances of Dr. Gingold's San Francisco Children's Opera, and received her Bachelor's in English Literature from UC Berkeley. She earned her Masters of Education with credentials in special education from San Francisco State University during which she met her husband Russell Brasso, who eventually left teaching and founded law firm Foreman & Brasso with his brother-in-law Ronald Foreman. Robin was a devout patron of the arts and never missed an opening night at the San Francisco Opera. The marble halls are bound to be a little quieter without her contagious laughter, garnet lipstick and fiery red hair.

Robin was preceded in death by her husband Russell Brasso, and her parents Hy and Lillian (Brodsky) Foreman. She is survived by her son Bret (Dina) Brasso, her daughter Rachel (Diana) Brasso, her sister Jill (John) O'Connell, her brother Ron (Karen) Foreman, her cousin Susan Schnall, her nieces Caitlyn O'Connell and Kelly Foreman, her nephews Danny Foreman and Jesse O'Connell, and her beloved granddaughters Arianna, Sofia and Mia Brasso. The family wishes to thank the incredible nurses from Maxim Healthcare Services who cared for Robin in her last year as though she were family. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Council for Jewish Women San Francisco or ResearcHERS of the American Cancer Society.