Barbara Abraham ( Hebrew Name: Ruth)
Born: Barbara Ann Hernandez
Birth City: Torrance, CA
DOB: 11/22/1946
Barbara’s Parents: Jesus (not JEEZUS but Haysuss) and Jovita (Hovita) Hernandez from Bracketville and Uvalde, TX
Barbara’s siblings: Rebecca (Becky), James (Jim d. 2021), and Virginia (Virgie) Hernandez. Barbara was the oldest. Her siblings were born in the order above.
Barbara was raised in Torrance, CA. Around 1956 her parents bought property and moved the family to Riverside, CA. Barbara attended Norte Vista High School. She attended many high school reunions and maintained friendships with high school friends till the day she died.
Around 1966 Barbara Hernandez met, Aaron Abraham, a Greek Jewish immigrant, in Los Angeles, CA. He was a holocaust survivor. The couple welcomed their first child, Rose, in 1968, their second child and only son, Joseph, in 1970, then three more daughters; Sarah in 1972; Myriam in 1973 (d. 2004), and Daisy in 1975. Barbara birthed 5 children in 7 years all before her 30th birthday.
Barbara was patient and was wonderful cook. More often than not, the children were enrolled at different schools and each parent took a few kids in one direction or another every school day. It was not always smooth sailing however, we always had homemade lunches and mom cooked for seven people every day.
Barbara was a lover of music. She liked classical music and The Carpenters very much. She sang in different choirs from high school age on. A move to a new town brought activity in a new choir.
As her children matured there were parties of all sorts. Once an entire lamb and once an entire goat roasted all day by Barbara’s husband and father while guests poured into the house. My mother would start cooking early and our dearest memories are the smells of the house on party days. Greek olives and cookies, Greek deli meat (Pastruma), and a whole slaughtered animal out back over coals tended to by Dad and Grandpa. Mom worked harder than anyone on these days, but she pulled off some amazing parties with dear family and friends.
Around 1982 Barbara decided she wanted to officially make ours a Jewish household. She went to conversion classes, brought what she learned home, and taught her children. We all converted at Barbara’s direction.
Around 1988 our parents moved with their 4 youngest children to Santa Cruz, CA. In 1990 she twice became a grandmother. Barbara and Aaron decided to end their marriage around 1995.
This began the second half of Barbara’s life. She bought a car and traveled, first with her youngest sister, Virginia. Then on her own from California, through the south, stayed in Salem Massachusetts for Halloween, and saw the New England states in the Fall. She then visited her aunt and uncle in New Jersey and eventually drove herself back home. Barbara was very proud of her solo adventure and believed it spoke to her independence, sense of self, and fearlessness.
Around 1996 Barbara planned a family reunion in Bracketville, TX for family on her father’s side. This phase of Barbara’s life included mothering children in their twenties and being a grandmother of four. She was very proud of all of us. She was also very happy as she rented an apartment in Bracketville, TX and had a wonderful time living in small quarters in a small, old Texas town where she honored her father who had died in 1992.
A few different apartments and living arrangements occurred over the late 90s and into the early 2000s. Barbara became a grandmother twice more for a total of 6 grandchildren. Barbara’s mother died in 2007.
Barbara was recovering from back surgery in 2004 when tragedy struck. Barbara’s 4th born, Myriam, was struggling in many ways. Myriam had three children, the father of the oldest died in a car wreck, then a divorce from the father of her second and third born. She was financially struggling and her children weren’t living with her when she moved in with a new boyfriend who shot her on November 1st. Myriam was pronounced dead on November 6th and she was buried November 9th. The wound of losing a child was great and dark years followed.
Even though our parents were divorced when Aaron became terminally ill in 2009 it was Barbara who cared for him. After his passing Barbara moved to the home in Fresno, CA that was left by our father in a Family Trust.
In 2014 Barbara’s first born grandchild, Amber, gave birth to Luna, Barbara’s first great grandchild. With Luna’s birth Barbara entered yet another phase of her life and was soon referred to as Gigi. In May of 2017 Emmett, Barbara’s second great grandchild was born to Thea (Barbara’s second born grandchild), and in May 2019 Thea welcomed her daughter Maeve, Barbara’s third great grandchild.
In January 2016 when Barbara was 69 years old she met her 7th grandchild at a rehab center where she was recovering from a minor stroke.
Barbara would drive to Los Angeles, San Clemente, Las Vegas, San Francisco. Where Barbara’s children or grandchildren were, she went. Barbara climbed an unimaginable number of stairs to visit and stay with her adult grandchildren, Tricia and Aaron, in San Clemente, CA. In 2014 she rented an RV and with two of her adult children, three grandchildren, and one dog they traveled up the California coast and through the red woods. Barbara did not relent from keeping her family bonded.
Barbara began having trouble with her blood pressure. She could not find a medicine that worked for her. In December 2019 she drove to San Clemente, CA for a family Hannukah party at Tricia and Aaron’s new (ground floor) apartment. At this party were all seven of her grandchildren and her three great grandchildren.
In February 2020 Barbara was staying with her oldest daughter Rose in Los Angeles CA. She was heading back to Fresno but instead drove herself to the hospital where she was told she was having a second stroke. The pandemic rumblings were beginning so Barbara recovered at Rose’s house and stayed there until July. In the midst of a global pandemic Barbara collected her wits, got behind the wheel of her car, and headed home to Fresno.
On November 22nd 2020 Barbara celebrated her 74th birthday with her son Joe. While Joe stayed with her she had an angiogram done to examine her heart. She was told she would need open heart surgery. Barbara was confident she’d recover. She said she’d rather get it fixed than get sicker. Instead, Barbara died around 10:00pm on Monday December 7, 2020.
On December 11, 2020 Barbara was laid to rest beside her daughter at Home of Peace cemetery in San Diego, CA. We hope she is resting comfortably, at peace, and in the company of her daughter, Myriam.