Barbara Smith

Barbara Hilp Smith Died peacefully at her home in the San Francisco Towers on February 13, 2010. Barbara was born February 25, 1919 to Adelaide Wollenberg Hilp and Harry H. Hilp. A proud third generation San Franciscan, she lived all her ninety years in the city she loved. Her connections to the city's history ran deep, including her grandmother Emma Hilp, the first woman to serve on San Francisco's Grand Jury, and her father Harry whose Barrett & Hilp Construction firm was instrumental in building the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges and other SF landmarks. One of her proudest moments was walking across the still unopened Golden Gate Bridge with her family in April 1937. Barbara graduated from Galileo High School in 1935 at sixteen and went on to study at UCLA, Cal and Stanford. In 1939 Barbara married Stanford man, Bob Smith, with whom she enjoyed a rich and full life of travel, friends, parties and family until his death in 1982. She loved a good game of bridge or mah jong, playing well past her 90th birthday; she worked on her needlepoint almost everyday; and loved reading, going to the ballet, watching sports, and shopping (which she turned into a fine art). Never out of date, Barbara kept a close eye on fashion, and had strong opinions on the news of the day. Barbara took her philanthropic role in the community seriously. From her sustained and generous support of many causes to her years as a volunteer at Mount Zion Hospital, Barbara always believed that participating in good works was an important responsibility and she passed that philosophy on to her family. Above all, Barbara's life revolved around her close family and dear friends many of whom she had known since grammar school. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Harry Hilp Jr., her sister Marjorie Hilp Rhodes, her loving husband Robert H.F. Smith, and her dear friend Simon Anixter. Barbara is survived by her adoring family: daughter Susan (Mark) Morris, granddaughter Kathy Morris, grandson Steve (Karen) Morris, sister-in-law Elaine Hilp, and dear friend Richard Rockwell. Barbara is also survived by loving nieces, nephews, and cousins of the Hilp, Rhodes, and Wollenberg families. At the birth of her first grandchild, Kathy, Barbara declared that she was far "too young" to be called Grandma, and decided that Barbara was a more appropriate name. She continued to be "too young" until the day she died just before her 91st birthday. Barbara Smith was a proud member of the San Francisco community, the self-proclaimed matriarch of a close family, and strong woman who lived life exactly as she wanted. She will be greatly missed. A small private service followed by a celebration of her life was held on February 18th. Donations in Barbara's memory may be made to the Adelaide and Harry Hilp Fund, Jewish Home, 302 Silver Ave. San Francisco CA 94112; or The ALS Association, Greater Bay Area Chapter, 585 Commercial St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco CA 94111, or a charity of your choice.