Barbara Jean Borsuk

Barbara Jean (Bacharach) Borsuk
10/28/1922 - 9/19/2020
Barbara Jean Borsuk passed away peacefully on September 19th, just shy of her 98th birthday on October 28th, surrounded by her family.

Barbara's husband, Sidney, the love of her life, predeceased her in 2005 at 90 after 59 years of marriage. Her brother, Alvin Bacharach, predeceased her in 1997. Alvin's daughter, Sheila (Bacharach) Siegel, survives her aunt. So do her children Emily (Schwartz) O'Connor, Zachary Schwartz, Molly Siegel, and Kimberley Siegel.

Barbara was born in Oakland to Percy and Etta Bacharach and graduated from Lowell High School in San Francisco. Barbara married Sidney after WWII and shortly moved to Piedmont. Barbara firmly believed in education, albeit she got her B.A. from Holy Names University at age 63 with a degree in art.

Besides being active in her family's real estate business, Barbara owned and managed a toy shop on Piedmont Avenue in the 1980s, which piqued her interest in designing dollhouses and miniatures.

Barbara and Sidney had terrific adventures together traveling the world, entertaining, and going on family vacations. They especially loved treating their family to annual vacations in Maui over the holidays. Barbara remained a very active woman in her 90s, but she missed Sidney very much.

Barbara had many interests, including painting, tennis, golf, and was a member of the Oakland Hills Tennis Club.

Barbara provided support to local charities and community organizations, including the former Oakland Ballet and Symphony, and contributed to the Jewish Welfare Fund and Danville's Jewish Home for the Aged.

She volunteered for 26 years at the Piedmont Avenue Cancer Discovery shop and as a docent at the Oakland Museum of California.

Mark, her son, and his wife Liliane survive her. Her daughter, Suzanne Borsuk, and Suzanne's children Garrett Krueger, his wife, Allyson, Sydney Krueger, and Andrea Krueger, survive her. Garrett and Ally's children (Colin, Chase, Zachary, and Bree) provided much joy to their great-grandmother.

The family extends its special thanks to her caregivers, Rachiel Dime and Cecilia Baumann. Please send donations in Barbara's name to the American Cancer Society or the Alameda Food Bank.