Barbara Levine Harsha

1950 - 2025

Barbara Levine Harsha, 75, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland on November 18, 2025 after a brief illness. She grew up in Kensington, Maryland, the daughter of Jacob and Bertha Levine. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1972 and went on to earn a master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California. She spent her career working at the intersection of state and local government advocacy with the federal government, first at the National League of Cities and later at the Governors Highway Safety Association, where she served as the association's executive director for 25 years. She was deeply passionate about roadway safety and developed lifelong bonds with many of her colleagues in the field across government and the nonprofit sector.
In retirement, she enjoyed traveling, the fine arts, and the company of her friends and family. She is survived by her two children, Adam and Daniel; her grandchildren, Annie, Isaac, and Phoebe; her brothers, Paul and Rick; and many nieces and nephews. A funeral will be held at 12 p.m. on Sunday, December 14 at the Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park in Clarksburg, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland, where she enjoyed the grounds and plantings since the garden's establishment. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and neighbors.