Barbara Block

BLOCK, Barbara (“Bobbie”) Jeanne (Lichtig), age 88 of Tampa, FL peacefully passed away on February 9, 2017.  Mrs. Block was born in Allentown, PA to Reginald and Minerva Lichtig, and was sister to her older brother Forest (Amanda) Lichtig of Puerto Rico.  In her youth, Bobbie was a drummer and baton twirler performing with the USO for wartime GI’s.  Her family relocated to Yonkers, NY where her beauty was recognized in NY pageants as Miss Westchester of 1946. In 1954 she married the love of her life, Seymour (Sy) Block and enjoyed nearly 60 years together before her husband preceded her in death in 2012. They raised three children, Jeffrey, Stephen, and Karen in Roslyn, NY between 1956 and 1970 before moving to Miami, FL  to indulge Sy’s love of Florida’s warm sun and tennis, and for Bobbie’s enjoyment of the outdoors and proximity to her mother, Minerva.  Over her adventurous life, “Bobbie” openly shared her mother’s artistic love of painting, and her father’s dedicated love of golf. Her life-long commitment to golf even accumulated a remarkable total of 5 hole-in-ones!  Bobbie and Sy traveled much of the US and abroad participating in almost 50 “Elder Hostel” adventures to appreciate nature and their love of “the great outdoors”. In 1992, Bobbie and Sy retired to enjoy their senior years as grandparents in St. Petersburg and Tampa, FL. Barbara Jeanne Block is survived by her three children: Jeffrey (Michelle) Block of Miami, FL; Stephen (Suzanne) Block of Delray, FL; and Karen (Marc) Blumenthal of Tampa, FL; and eight grandchildren Jason Block, Samuel Block, Maxwell Block; Samantha (Josh) Saltz and Heather (Jodie) Barkin; Alyssa (Jesse) Blumenthal-Malin and Adam Blumenthal & Claire Blumenthal.  She was “Aunt Barbara” to the daughters of her sister-in-law Beverly (Melvin) Smith of NY, her nieces Linda (Paul) Soren and Joan Smith; and to her brother Forest’s two children, Karen Lichtig and John (Jane) Lichtig. Bobbie Block shared her love with many, and was loved by many more.  She will be dearly missed.  Memorial services to celebrate her life will take place on February 26, 2017 at 4:00pm at Congregation Schaarai Zedek 3303 W. Swann Avenue in Tampa, Florida.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to the charity of your choice. Condolences may be expressed online at: www.SegalFuneralHome.com