Barbara Jane "Bosh" Handler died peacefully in Evanston on December 10. She was 93 and had lived with Alzheimer's for a number of years. Mother of four: Bob (Dawn Harris), Alan (Patricia Eastman), Peter (Mary Beth Sova), and Liz (Steve Krupkin). Grandmother of a dozen: Amy, Drew, Rachel, Jordan, Maggie, Kathryn, Claudia, Austen, Quinn, Billy, George, and Molly Jo. Great-Grandmother of four: Peyton, Atlas, Audax, and Jones. Sister to Rhoda. Auntie Bosh to Bruce, Drake, David, Cookie, Jody, and Andy.
Bosh was born in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. After her mother died when she was two, Bosh was raised with all the love one could want by Mamie Upchurch, aunts Alice & Essie, and uncles Dave, Jack, and Harry. She attended Senn and Sullivan high schools (not at the same time). Later, she attended the University of Illinois at Champaign, ultimately graduating from National College of Education.
Bosh taught for many years in the Chicago Public Schools. After retiring, she became a devoted volunteer running the used book sales at the Evanston Public Library.
Bosh was married to Jerry Handler for 68 years. She supported him while he went through medical school. She once researched and wrote a paper on Army Medicine for which Jerry received an "A". For the great majority of her marriage, Bosh had dinner on the table six nights a week at 6:30 pm. Bosh and Jerry's life together included enjoying their grandchildren, travelling the world, attending the symphony, and going out possibly every Saturday night for as long as anyone can remember.
Bosh was a true activist. She had her children knocking on doors for political candidates at an early age. She was a longtime member of the League of Women Voters. She hosted frequent gatherings of Stitch & Bitch in the summer of 1973, when she and her friends would yell and throw yarn at the TV during the Senate Watergate Hearings (hers was the only house with central air conditioning). She marched on Washington for women's rights and attended the Women's March in Chicago with a posse of new friends from her senior living community.
Bosh possessed one of the most distinctive and infectious laughs She also had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed trick-or-treating in her wedding dress well into her mature years: her neighbors would always laugh, and then she hit them up for candy. She found people - including herself - endlessly amusing.
Bosh's first love was her extended family and close friends. Her second love was books, then WFMT, Studs Terkel (merely platonic), Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Her favorite food groups were sugar, chocolate, and sour cream on white bread. For comfort, she could stare endlessly at any ocean, lake, river, or stream.
Bosh loved babies and children, and always had a kitchen drawer at floor level filled with toys for toddlers and kids. There was always food and snacks in her kitchen, readily offered to the many visitors who came by. Everyone was welcome at her table
She added more than her share of love and laughs to the world. There is now a hole in our universe. We miss you, Bosh.
The family is encouraging donations to the Evanston Public Library in memory of their mother:
https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=fead961a-77a9-4e80-b053-80bffb731152&envid=p-GdWxjynKpkGjTMdeGMtcBQ&zone=usa
Donations are also encouraged to Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon:
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southwestern-oregon?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22365471025
Bosh was born in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. After her mother died when she was two, Bosh was raised with all the love one could want by Mamie Upchurch, aunts Alice & Essie, and uncles Dave, Jack, and Harry. She attended Senn and Sullivan high schools (not at the same time). Later, she attended the University of Illinois at Champaign, ultimately graduating from National College of Education.
Bosh taught for many years in the Chicago Public Schools. After retiring, she became a devoted volunteer running the used book sales at the Evanston Public Library.
Bosh was married to Jerry Handler for 68 years. She supported him while he went through medical school. She once researched and wrote a paper on Army Medicine for which Jerry received an "A". For the great majority of her marriage, Bosh had dinner on the table six nights a week at 6:30 pm. Bosh and Jerry's life together included enjoying their grandchildren, travelling the world, attending the symphony, and going out possibly every Saturday night for as long as anyone can remember.
Bosh was a true activist. She had her children knocking on doors for political candidates at an early age. She was a longtime member of the League of Women Voters. She hosted frequent gatherings of Stitch & Bitch in the summer of 1973, when she and her friends would yell and throw yarn at the TV during the Senate Watergate Hearings (hers was the only house with central air conditioning). She marched on Washington for women's rights and attended the Women's March in Chicago with a posse of new friends from her senior living community.
Bosh possessed one of the most distinctive and infectious laughs She also had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed trick-or-treating in her wedding dress well into her mature years: her neighbors would always laugh, and then she hit them up for candy. She found people - including herself - endlessly amusing.
Bosh's first love was her extended family and close friends. Her second love was books, then WFMT, Studs Terkel (merely platonic), Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Her favorite food groups were sugar, chocolate, and sour cream on white bread. For comfort, she could stare endlessly at any ocean, lake, river, or stream.
Bosh loved babies and children, and always had a kitchen drawer at floor level filled with toys for toddlers and kids. There was always food and snacks in her kitchen, readily offered to the many visitors who came by. Everyone was welcome at her table
She added more than her share of love and laughs to the world. There is now a hole in our universe. We miss you, Bosh.
The family is encouraging donations to the Evanston Public Library in memory of their mother:
https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=fead961a-77a9-4e80-b053-80bffb731152&envid=p-GdWxjynKpkGjTMdeGMtcBQ&zone=usa
Donations are also encouraged to Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon:
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southwestern-oregon?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22365471025
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Jane "Bosh" Handler, please visit our flower store.
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