Sidney M. Leibovitz

Sidney M. Leibovitz, "Sid", born October 11, 1923, beloved husband of Adrienne Leibovitz, died of Parkinson's Disease on March 12, 2020, at his home in the Guilford area of Baltimore City.

Sid was a 45-year federal employee, working most of that time in Social Security Administration headquarters, in Baltimore. His last eight years he served as the SSA Historian. Among the awards received during his SSA tenure is a 1981 Letter of Commendation from President Jimmy Carter, citing Sid's development of criteria used to calculate Social Security benefits for people born before 1918 (the Notch Babies). Sid was also selected as SSA's Representative to the Planning Committee for the 200th anniversary celebration of the Supreme Court.

Son of Charles and Anna Leibovitz, of Philadelphia, PA, Sid attended Central High School. Enlisting in the Army following high school, Sid briefly attended Officers Training School, but the Battle of the Bulge interfered. All OCS training centers closed, and Army personnel were sent directly to the front lines to the Bulge. Sid, with the 99th infantry, remained on the front lines throughout the war, marching through Germany, finally ending at the Nuremburg trials, where they were mustered into Patton's Big Red One. The 99th infantry participated in three major campaigns, five engagements, conquered 1,800 miles of Germany, captured 47,370 German enemy soldiers, liberated over 100,000 American POWs, suffered 85% casualties, and received seven citations for brave wartime service.

Following WWII, Sid attended Temple University on the GI bill. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and master's degree from Temple and received a second MA from George Washington University in 1977. When Sid retired from the SSA, he became a 15-year volunteer at the Red Cross Baltimore Chapter Holocaust Victim Tracing Center. True to his love of history, he wrote their history. Weekly bridge games at Bykota senior center also became embedded in the calendar. Still keeping busy, Sid joined the Renaissance Institute, Notre Dame of MD University. An enthusiastic 25-year member, Sid wrote the renaissance history, taught several history classes, and was guest lecturer at other area retirement groups.

In deference to their special avocation, antiques, Sid and his wife Adrienne were owners and operators of Guilford Antiques, with one spot at Charles Street and one in Cockeysville, MD. They initiated the Antiques Showcase at Kenilworth Mall, a local, monthly antiques show from 1984-2004. Sid is survived by his wife of 43 years, Adrienne Leibovitz (nee Biren-Benger) formerly of Beverly Hills, CA; a daughter, Cheryl Ann Leibovitz of Alexandria, VA; a son, Marc Leibovitz (Naomi Kaufman) of Rehoboth Beach, DE; stepdaughters, Danielle Benger Gorgas (Kenny) of Greenwich Village, NY and Dr. Victoria Magi Berger of Baltimore, MD. Sid is also survived by his granddaughter and namesake, Sidney Alexandra Benger, a seven-year-old, 1st grader at Roland Park Country School. Particularly close with Dr. Magi, whose birth father died when she was five, Sid became Dad to her in 1978 for the rest of her life. Sid's first wife, the late Sylvia Kaplan Leibovitz, of Philadelphia, PA, died in 1976.

Sid's WWII diaries and pictures are donated to the Jewish War Veterans Museum in Washington DC.

Contributions in Sid's Memory may be sent to the Renaissance Institute, NDMU, North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21210. Private gravesite services were held March 18, 2020. A memorial service is planned for October 2020 at the Bolton Hill Synagogue by Rabbi Andrew Gordon.

Sid will be Remembered fondly by all who knew him during his long, varied, and productive life of 96 years.



The combined Leibovitz-Berger families wish to express thanks to Mrs. Marvette Redman and her bevy of 24/7 nurses for the outstanding care that allowed our husband and father to remain at home during his illness, and to thank nurse Jamie of Gilchrist Hospice Care for weekly visits and Dr. Robert Kroopnick for his wise counsel. A special thanks to daughter Dr. Magi Berger, advocate for the many arrangements necessary during the past six months.