Harriet Goldberg passed on Monday, February 24, 2025. She lived a life filled with love for family, friends and humankind. She cared deeply about peace, education, and human rights and worked persistently for a better world in local and national organizations. She was a loving and dedicated daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandma, great-grandma, and friend.

Harriet was born on May 12, 1933 in New Bedford, MA to Abram and Jule (Susman) Rusitzky. She grew up in New Bedford with her parents and her younger brother Barry. A voracious reader with a keen memory, Harriet did very well in school, earning a double promotion.

After high school, she earned her degree as a dental hygienist at Forsyth College in Boston and returned to practice in New Bedford. Two years into her career, one of her patients insisted on fixing Harriet up on a blind date. Although hesitant, she ultimately agreed, because it was her patient's nephew. Her patient's intuition about the match proved correct, and on their second date, David Goldberg told Harriet that he was going to ask her to marry him someday. At the time, she thought he was crazy, but David was charming and persuasive. They fell in love and were married in the summer of 1955.

The newlyweds moved to New York City, where Harriet worked in a periodontist practice, supporting David as he completed law school. Afterwards, they settled in Toledo, OH close to David's parents. Harriet gave up her dental hygiene career as she turned her attention to raising their three children, Stephen, Stuart, and Caren. Limited in her own career options as a young woman, Harriet taught her children they could do anything. She also ensured all three had the skills necessary to be equal partners in cooking and cleaning.

Harriet encouraged her children in their various extracurricular activities. During summers, her family sailed together on Lake Erie, both cruising and racing. One of Harriet's proud accomplishments was being named "most improved sailor" in her sailing class at North Cape Yacht Club.

Harriet tragically lost her beloved David to cardiac sarcoidosis in 1982. When David first got sick and Harriet couldn't imagine life without him, David told her that what he admired most about her was that she "cared about everyone and [that] if [she] stopped, that would be the worst tragedy and a waste of [their] love." Harriet never wavered in her care for others. Throughout her life, she was a steadfast support and caregiver for her children, parents, in-laws, and other family members.

Her caring also extended far beyond her own family. Harriet became an activist, working tirelessly for a multitude of causes rooted in the principles of peace, justice, and human rights. She was active in the Toledo Peace and Justice movement, worked for nuclear disarmament, advocated through the coalition against gun violence, organized for many like-minded political campaigns, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and helped children with reading challenges at the Stewart Elementary School. Through her activism she stood in protest, canvassed through calls and phone banking, and attended marches including the Million Moms March to end gun violence.

Alongside her role as an activist, Harriet also embraced a new role as a grandmother. Known to her adoring grandchildren as Grandma Harriet, she was famous for hosting sleepovers, baking the perfect chocolate chip meringues, and never missing a birthday, music recital, or other milestone. Although never comfortable on the highway, Harriet often drove herself up Route 23 to visit her youngest grandchildren in Ann Arbor. When her grandchildren left town for summer camp or college, they received frequent handwritten letters in Harriet's elegant cursive. Her coffee table was laden with stacks of photo albums of her family through the years, and she enthusiastically celebrated each success of a loved one, no matter how big or small.

Aside from spending time with family, Harriet enjoyed gardening, and reading and became an avid exerciser, taking aerobics classes and riding a stationary bicycle at Vic Tanny, then Bally's Health Club. Her friendly smiles and greetings resulted in new friendships. Among them, several younger women sought and received Harriet's counsel on relationships and life choices. Harriet was a lifelong learner, taking classes in philosophy and literature at the University of Toledo.

As Harriet grew older and developed her own health challenges, she never wavered in her love. Harriet cherished long phone calls with her children, their families, and her close friends. She celebrated the weddings of all her children and three grandchildren. She welcomed the arrival of six great-grandchildren and several granddogs. More than 70 years after their first blind date, Harriet's love for David never dimmed. He remained present through her stories and her enduring love for her family, friends, and community. Harriet had a special talent for making each friend and family member feel exquisitely and unconditionally loved. Her legacy radiates outwards through the countless lives she touched and uplifted. She will be deeply missed.

Harriet was preceded in death by her husband, David; parents, Jule and Abe Rusitzky; in-laws Doris and Morton Goldberg; and brother, Barry. She is survived by her children, Stephen (Nancy), Stuart (Jo-Jo) and Caren (Doug); grandchildren, Daniel (Lina), Adrienne, Josh (Amanda), Adam (Andrea), Cydney, Allie and Gavi, as well as great grandchildren, Ethan, Andrew, Phoebe, Margo, Aliza and Aster.

The family is grateful to the nurses and aides at Sunset and Ashanti Hospice.

Funeral services will beheld on Thursday February 27, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Congregation B'Nai Israel 6525 W. Sylvania Ave. Sylvania, OH. 43560. Interment will follow at Beth Shalom Cemetery, Oregon, Ohio

In lieu of flowers, donations in Harriet's memory would be welcome to Congregation B'nai Israel, American Heart Association (Toledo), Save-A-Heart (Ann Arbor), Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action or a charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements entrusted to the Robert H. WICK/Wisniewski Funeral Home (419) 535-5840

www.wickfh.com