Harriet Bernbaum nee Harrison

Harriet Bernbaum nee Harrison
1926-2020

Harriet Bernbaum nee Harrison, age 93, passed peacefully at home on August 7, 2020 surrounded by family. Harriet resided in Highland Park, Illinois and Longboat Key, Florida. 

In the words of her late daughter, Harriet would have said of her life that it was “too much happiness,” indicating to those who knew her best that it was fully lived and enjoyed and one which words alone could simply not capture. 

Born August 26, 1926 in Chicago, Harriet was the devoted daughter of the late Estelle and late Solomon E. Harrison, beloved wife of 65 years to the late Harry H. Bernbaum, cherished sister of the late Judith Harrison (late Morton) Leonard, loving mother to L. Harrison (Ann) Bernbaum and the late Keren-Or Bernbaum, adored “Gram” to Alexis (Daniel Rutter) Bernbaum, Haleigh Bernbaum, Jonathan Bernbaum, and Matthew Bernbaum, proud great grandmother to Rhys Harrison Rutter, and loving aunt and great aunt to many. The Bernbaum family would like to express their deep gratitude to Harriet’s caregiver, Anna Borys, for her endless compassion, care, and companionship. Harriet was an avid philanthropist, supporting hospitals in both the Chicagoland and Sarasota areas, the Jewish United Fund, and various fine arts organizations including The Art Institute of Chicago, Ravinia Festival of Highland Park, Steans Music Institute, and the Sarasota Opera. A lover of the arts, she herself was a person of extreme artistic talent, spending much of her life creating beautiful works across various mediums and with a particular passion for jewelry design, interior design, painting, and ceramics. Her life was filled with the happiness brought to her by her many cherished friends and family and she adored more than anything the companionship and love she shared with her husband, Harry, and the life they built together. An irreplaceable matriarch, she will be truly missed and endlessly loved by her surviving son, Hank, and his family. In the words of her late daughter, Harriet would have said of her life that it was “too much happiness,” indicating to those who knew her best that it was fully lived and enjoyed and one which words alone could simply not capture. Graveside service and shiva will be private. Service was live streamed, you can view the recorded service at www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com (under “recent services”, click on Harriet’s photograph and scroll to “service details”). In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Harriet’s name to Ravinia Festival (www.ravinia.org/page/tributegifts, 418 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park IL 60035 ATTN Welz Kauffman) and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation (www.smhf.org/donate-now, 1515 South Osprey Ave. Suite B-4, Sarasota FL 34239). For condolence information, please call The Goldman Funeral Group at 847.478.1600.

SERVICE:
Service was live streamed, you can view the recorded service at www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com (under “recent services”, click on Harriet’s photograph and scroll to “service details”).

DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Harriet’s name to Ravinia Festival (www.ravinia.org/page/tributegifts, 418 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park IL 60035 ATTN Welz Kauffman) and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation (www.smhf.org/donate-now, 1515 South Osprey Ave. Suite B-4, Sarasota FL 34239)