Barry Toby Gruenberg

Barry Toby Gruenberg, Age 79, July 21, 2023

Barry was born in Newburgh, NY, to Willie and Sylvia (Moses) Grueneberg. His family moved to the Bronx where Barry attended local schools and graduated from Evander Childs High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, and Masters and Doctorate degrees in Sociology from the University of Michigan. He later completed postdoctoral work at Princeton University and Stanford University.

Barry was a lifelong learner and educator; he was always seeking and sharing knowledge, and found deep satisfaction in helping others enrich their personal and professional lives. He began his career as an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Wesleyan University, and went on to work in organizational development for the Government Accounting Office, Center for Creative Leadership, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Barry eventually formed his own consultancy, Green Mountain Associates, where he applied Gestalt modalities to organizational development. He loved the challenges of working with people and tackling areas of concern in organizations and amongst their leadership. He espoused an unwavering belief in the inherent goodness of people, and strove to empower all to thrive by encouraging collaboration based on kindness and honesty.

Barry had a wry sense of humor, and spirited views of the world, politics, and socio-economic disparities. He was an avid reader and maintained a passion for the arts throughout his life that included Italian opera singing, theater, photography, and fictional short-story writing.

Barry was a devoted coffee connoisseur and a 'foodie;' he especially enjoyed Thai, Indian, and Italian foods – and Jewish deli – and loved gathering fine ingredients from gourmet markets for delicious home-cooked meals. In his later years, Barry was a hobbyist bread maker, with a special affinity for sourdough.

Barry's interests also included international travel, sports cars, playing and watching tennis, solving NY Times crossword puzzles, word games, and intellectual debate with friends and family. His last years were medically challenging, but he was resilient, and he found creative ways to keep his mind active and spirits up as his eyesight failed him. He recently took a monologue class and returned to playing the piano.

Barry leaves behind a large family who will miss him dearly. He is survived by his two sons, Joshua (Mikaron) and Matthew (Kirsten), his four loving grandchildren, Hannah, Beau, Theo, and Jonah, his siblings, Ilene (Steve), David (Anita), Randy (Tammy), and his nephews Robert, Zachary (Diana), Daniel, and Seth. Barry is also survived by his former spouse, Susan Gold, who was very special to him.

Barry's funeral service will be held at 11am, Wednesday, July 26 at Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, with burial to follow at King David Memorial Cemetery in Putnam County. Shiva at the home of Tammy and Randy Gruenberg, 2704 Netherland Avenue, Bronx, NY, after the graveside service on Wednesday, and Thursday evening at 7pm. Memorial donations can be sent to the Accessible Insulin Pump Task Force/American Council for the Blind.