Minx Mansbach Auerbach

AUERBACH, MINX MANSBACH, 83, of Louisville, died from ovarian cancer on Thursday, February 16, 2006. From 1974-1978 she headed the Department of Consumer Affaires, which she started while working for Mayor Harvey Sloan. Mrs. Auerbach was an executive assistant of Mitch McConnell during his administration as County Judge of Jefferson County from 1978-1984. From 1979-1994 she was on the board of The Louisville Science Center and chair from 1990-1993. Mrs. Auerbach was instrumental in saving the museum from closing and hiring the museum's current director. Mrs. Auerbach was a board member (1984-97) and chair (1986-97) of the Louisville and Jefferson County Planning Commission. In 1996 Mrs. Auerbach became the first woman president of the University of Louisville Board. She served on the U of L board for seven years. She also served on the Louisville Community Foundation Board 1982-92; was on the Board and president of the Olmstead Conservancy from 1998-2002 and was on the Board of River Fields from 1998 until her death. Mrs. Auerbach was in the first group of recipients of the Women of Distinction from The Center for Women and Children; the 2002 winner of The Blanche B. Ottenheimer award given by the Jewish Community Center; in 2003 she was named Louisvillian of the Year by The Advertising Federation of Louisville; she received the Certificate of Merit for Community Service from three different mayors and was honored in the fall of 2005 by Greater Louisville, Inc., as one of 54 community members who have made the greatest contributions to the community in Passing the Torch. Mrs. Auerbach is preceded in death by her brother, Samuel Mansbach. She is survived by her husband, Dr. S. Pearson Auerbach; her daughter, Penny Auerbach Friedberg and son-in-law, Jean Friedberg of Columbia, MD; her sons, Dr. J. Keith Auerbach and Robert Auerbach and wife, Pumpkin Auerbach; sisters, Hanna Weininger of Scottsdale, AZ, Sophia Levinson of Cincinnati, OH, and Trudy Weber of Los Angeles, CA; brother, Gerald Mansbach of Ashland, KY; grandchildren, Michael Joseph Friedberg, Alex Pearson Auerbach, Leah Friedberg Tangredi, Summer Auerbach, Rebekkah Star Auerbach and Peter Quinn Auerbach; and great-grandson, Noah Auerbach. Her funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 19, 2006, at The Temple, 5101 US Highway 42, with burial in Cave Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12:30-2 p.m. before the service at The Temple. Herman Meyer & Son in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy may be directed to either River Fields, The Olmstead Conservancy or The Louisville Science Center.