Max Barth

Missing you Daddy

Please visit this site to view the article about honoring my Dad at Sunset Beach.

http://www.nj.com/suburbannews/index.ssf/2015/09/union_resident_remembered_at_f.html

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.


Mary Elizabeth Frye, Author

Compassion, respect, empathy, kindness and love. These are just a few words to describe my Dad. He taught my sister and me all those values and more, not through words, but through his everyday actions in life. This was true both at home with us, in the neighborhood, with friends, or while at our second home…Wolff's Drug Store where he and my mom not just worked, but served the public to a degree that no longer exists. I had the pleasure of not just working there, but truly in having the opportunity in learning how to treat people with dignity and respect. Even before I was old enough to reach the cash register I would love to be there with my Dad. I was always so proud of him. The kindness and love he would show to his customers who were so much more to him than that- they were his second family. When my voice grew deep enough and everyone said I sounded just like my father on the phone, I would typically be greeted by a voice of an elderly women saying “Maxie….could you bring me more of the pink pill's”; and at all hours of the day or night, he was there for them. He worked from the day he was 10 years old. The values that he taught me have been instilled within me- I hope for the rest of my life. When someone could not afford to pay for a prescription, that never stopped them from getting their medicine; when someone was elderly and frail and housebound-that never stopped my Dad from getting them their medicine. And his advice to them regarding their health -that he gave with such care - would put most doctors to shame.

He and my Mom (after my sister and I were old enough) were together constantly. At work, at home, shopping. My Mom says they never went to bed-even when he was so sick at the end- without looking at her and saying “I love you”. They both sacrificed so that my sister and I could have whatever we needed in life. Even at the end of a long day of work, he was never too tired to teach me to throw a football-and even that he did with love. Three times a week despite his long hours of work he would schlep me to New York for piano lessons…he never complained and he did that with love.

And what a marriage my parents had. Over 60 years of mutual love and respect. They don't make marriages like that anymore in life. Like the end of the Mom and Pop drug store, this was the end of an era.

But…my Dad's lessons that he taught me and with anyone who knew him will live on for eternity. Throughout all my years of education…none of the lessons could teach those qualities to me like my father did….and those are the words I started with here today…..
Compassion, kindness, empathy respect and love. I conclude with the ending of a song that comes to mind and how true it is to me right now.
“ My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man….I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band”.

I miss you Dad.

Michael

If you are here today (Friday, February 28, 2014, Beth Israel Memorial Gardens) know the kind of man my dad was: Kind, compassionate, thoughtful, respectful, and sweet. A son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, friend. Rachel, Jason, Jonathan, Michael have all described Dad that I will share with you some of the little things my Dad and I shared.
My Dad taught me how to ride a bike.
He taught me how to drive, even taking credit for backing into the cement foundation of a street light in the Rickel's parking lot.
He got me through Biology, Chemistry, Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Trig. He taught me how to do a perfect proof.
He wasn't a swimmer, but taught me when to ride a wave, and when to dunk. He taught me to never turn your back on the ocean.
We did science experiments on the Weekends at the kitchen table.
He made a roulette table on a green table cloth and taught me how to play. He did the same thing for shooting craps.
Some of our best times together happened driving to the drug store together on Sundays. He'd pick a car far ahead of us and we had to pass them. He pointed out the vans on the Parkway that were filled with prisoners out on work details and stressed never to wave to them. Most times we would just talk.
When Rachel was born, the first of the 5 grandchildren, my Dad was in charge of calling the family. We had been sending notes back and forth to each other between Labor & Delivery and the family waiting room. The last note he sent me that day said “I just blew my nose in the phone number list. Can you send me the numbers again”.
He took great pride in the personal, academic, and professional accomplishments my children, Rachel and Jason. They love him with all their heats and cherished every second with him.
My littles, Ali and Amelia……………..they were adored by my Dad. My greatest hope is that Ali will share her “Oompie” memories with Amelia.
I will always be a Daddy's girl.
I love you Dad.

Goo Gi I Vas (Good Girl I Was)
Fern

My name is Rachel and I'm the oldest of Bobbi and Max's grandkids. Many thanks to all of you for coming today to pay your respect to my grandfather and support our family. Most of you knew him as Max, but to myself, my brother Jason, my husband Boris, our daughters Ali and Amelia and my cousins Adam, Jonathan and Sara he was will always be our Oompa. I'm not sure where we came up with that nickname but it couldn't have suited anyone more.
Oompa, together with my grandmother Ooma, are the model grandparents. The best of the best. There is nothing that they would not do for our family. Throughout my life I have some of the absolute best memories of my Oompa and they go back as far as I can remember. Ooma and Oompa were always with us to celebrate a holiday or birthday, participate in any event that was importance to us or even to just go out to the occasional family dinner.
My love for him goes back as far as I can remember.When I was very young I was convinced that Oompa actually manufactured drugs. I nicknamed my favorite cold medicine “Oompa medicine”. It tasted delicious so Oompa surely made it. It was also around this time that Oompa trained me to say that “I'm smart like my Oompa” whenever I did anything that was considered smart. He had me convinced that he was the sole reason I was smart until one day I got wise and told him that “I'm smart because I have brains”. (not one brain, but brains plural)
Throughout the years some of my best memories of childhood were spent having sleepovers with my brother at Ooma and Oompa's house.
As I grew older he helped me with my homework and told me to “erase neatly, take pride in [my] work!”; taught me to drive; visited me at college; was excited to take me to Atlantic City for the weekend when I turned 21; taught me the inner workings of his pharmacy and inspired me to achieve a degree in the same field. Of course, Oompa was there to see me receive this degree from the same college where he graduated from 50 years prior.
He was always such a fun grandpa to have around. He wanted to make his smile so he sang silly songs that he learned from the navy (that now Ali will sing on command) or taught us our first dirty jokes.
It is very rare that a granddaughter can say that she had her grandfather in her life for 35 years. Oompa was there to dance with me at my wedding and gladly recognized my husband, Boris, as another grandson. He held both of my girls right after they were born. As Ali has grown to an almost 5 year old little girl I have started to see a similar pattern form in her relationship with him. She knew a great grandpa who sang silly songs, colored with her, celebrated holidays and birthdays with her, talked to her on the phone. She loved visiting Ooma and Oompa's house the same way that I always did. Recently Amelia, at only 15 months old, started calling him as “Oomp”.
As I think back on all of the things that made Oompa special to me I notice that overall what he instilled upon me was the importance of family. Oompa could never say enough “I love you's” or give enough kisses. We spoke on the phone every few days and saw each other often. We were very in touch with what was going on in each other's lives. Ooma always told me that Oompa never knew any of his grandparents but, based on how he treated us, you would never know it.
It is with very great sadness that I have to say goodbye to him today because it always seemed to us that he would live forever. As I told Ali, Oompie is looking down on us so we need to continue to make you proud. I will always carry with me everything that Oompa taught me.

Rachel

I'm lucky. I'm lucky because not many grandchildren can say that they had the
kind of grandfather I had & I'm also lucky to have had him in my life for almost
33 years & I'm even luckier to say that I was able to say that Oompa taught me
so much. He taught me that 30 year old bottles of medicine should be emptied in
a ventilated room; that if you write a letter to George Steinbrenner upset that
the foul pole blocked your view that it is an easy way to get free tickets to a game, he taught me how to turn a 30 second joke into a 3 minute story with an eventual punch line (and I said eventual) and he taught me to always blow your nose with your mouth open, one side at a time, because it's better for your sinuses. It's funny the things that
always stick with you....but in all seriousness, Oompa always showed Rachel and
I that there is no love like your parents & grandparents love for you..no matter
how old you are, you'll always be their grandchild. The last time I spoke to
Oompa was at the hospital last Friday February 21, when my Mom & Ooma went to get lunch. I
sat there, held his hand and told him about me passing by the drug store earlier
in the month, but I had to cut my visit to Bloomfield short. Then as we were talking he told
me that he feels stupid because he can't speak well, and I told him "who cares,
I can't speak well most of the time either and I have no excuse". He laughed and
it was at that point I knew that if I didn't get the most out of this
conversation with Oompa that I may not get the chance to again. But I'm lucky to
say that he was able to laugh & smile with me and I'll be able to hold those
last few minutes close to my heart for the rest of my life. That's how I
remember Oompa, laughing, smiling and as I leave telling me that he loves me. I
hope everyone here really knows and holds close to their hearts the person that
we are saying goodbye to today..because I'm a better person today because of him
& and I'll miss him forever.

I love you Oompa....

Jason

Oompa,

My brother, sister in-law, and sister wish they could be here today to read this with me.

For the last couple of years we didn't get too see you as much as we wished we could. But even with distance we always loved and missed you.

We remember the time in Wildwood when you dyed your hair, then got in the pool and it turned orange. We remember the time at Ruby Tuesday's in Rockville, when you got up and did the Congo with the waiters while they were singing happy birthday to a total stranger. We remember all those Thanksgiving's trying to hear the game over your snoring all the amazing vintage secrets you had hidden away in the bar downstairs.

All the summers in Wildwood, all of the nights spent playing black jack and pinball with you on the computer. All your dirty jokes. The terrifying noise you made when you blew your nose. The dollar bills in frames, the framed jig-saw puzzles, the detailed stories from your classes at the Y. The stories about the Yankees and the Giants. And of course your time with the Raven's cheerleaders.

We will always have the memories and you will always be with us.

We love you very much.

Jonathan

Dear Fern and Family,
My sincere condolences on your loss.May the angels comfort you during this difficult time. May he rest peacefully and remain alive in memories of your time together...
With Sympathy,
Barbara Wirkus

to Bobby And family
My deepest sympathy on the loss of Max.
May he rest in peace.
Sandi Nauhauser

Dearest Fern: Our sympathy and condolences to you on the passing of your Father, Max. Our prayers and blessings to you and your family.

My deepest sympathy to the Barth family.

Fern and all the Barth family,
My sympathies to all of you. I have such fond memories of Max. How could I ever forget when we were kids and he and Bobbi would take us down to Seaside. And then there were those Fri. nights meeting up at Jahn's restaurant. Max was a good man and will be missed by everyone whose life he touched.
My thoughts are with all of you at this difficult time.
Love, Marc Kamin, Denver, Colorado

We will miss Max. He was a truly kind and loving man. All of us were blessed to have known him.
Much love to everyone. We are so sorry.
Love, Susan and Don Bressler