Barbara Marks

Barbara Marks, born June 30, 1933, in Pittsburgh, PA to Lenora (d. 1965) and Ben Moidell (d. 1979), passed away on April 6, 2025, at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy of love, commitment, and service. 

Her family moved from Pittsburgh to Miami Beach, FL, where she graduated from Miami Beach High School. Barbara worked at several financial institutions during her life, holding a number of bookkeeping positions. Her favorite job was working in the baby department at Maas Brothers, where she could “visit” with new mothers. It was her love of giving that was the foundation of her post-retirement career of volunteerism, her true passion. She worked devotedly in her synagogue, Congregation Rodeph Sholom and in many departments at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, accumulating almost 17,000 volunteer-hours by the time she retired from volunteering, more than 30 years later. When she worked in St. Joseph’s Infusion Center, she started crocheting hats for cancer patients who were losing their hair, an activity that she would continue until her death. She made hundreds of hats for patients at St. Joseph’s and Moffit Cancer Center. Yesrs ago, even when she was ill in the hospital, she would ask for work to be brought to her hospital room. In addition to volunteering, Barbara enjoyed any kind of crafting, especially sewing, cross-stich, needlepoint, and crocheting. Above all, her main love and focus was always on her family, raising three children, and helping to care for four grandchildren. 

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Donald Marks, with whom she shared 25 years of marriage before he died on December 16, 1979. Barbara was also preceded in death by her sister, Myra Silber (d. 1985). Barbara is survived by her daughter, Lori Marks Ponoroff (Alan); sons Jim Marks (Suzanne), and Dr. Larry Marks (Yaela); grandchildren Dr. Danielle Marks Hines (Patrick), Leah Marks Hehr (Nick), David Ponoroff, and Eden Marks; and great grandchildren Ethan Hines and Nico Hehr.

 A funeral service for Barbara will take place Friday, April 11th, 10:30 AM at Congregation Rodeph Sholom with a graveside service following at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park.