Funeral Details

Barbara M. Schrayer nee Mazer, age 91

Beloved wife of the late Robert M. Schrayer. Dear mother of Skip (Lynn) Schrayer, Elizabeth (Jeff Schwaber) Schrayer, and Deborah (Jon Karmin) Schrayer Karmin. Proud grandmother of Joshua (Emily), Alison (Jason), Danny (Callie), Zack (fiancé Karen), Annie (Brian), Sam, Eli (fiancé Danielle), and Joey. Great grandmother of Charlie, Winnie, Maggie, and Tessa. Special aunt and friend to too many to name, all of whom she loved and adored.

Barbara grew up in Detroit as the daughter of Isabel and Bill Mazer and loving sister of Bill (z”l) and Didge (z”l). She was an exuberant alum of University of Michigan, suiting up in her maize and blue for most football games for the past 70 years, more recently texting madly with her grandkids during each game, including trash talking with those very few offspring who weren’t Michigan grads.

She met her B’sheret, Bob during her freshman year at a party where they danced the night away. They never stopped dancing over 50 years of marriage. Barbara was a pillar of the Chicago Jewish community: she was a proud Lion of Judah, an original member of the Jewish Woman’s Foundation, a member of the JUF Woman’s Board, and a former board member of both the JCC and CJE. She also was a member of the Standard Club, Northmoor, and Tamarisk, where everybody knew Barbara Schrayer.

With her signature spiky white hair and her delightful wit, Barbara knew how to throw a party. She entertained with elegance, style and flair - always with white orchids – always decked out in trend-setting clothes. She loved playing bridge and always had the best time kibbitzing with her masses of friends, many of which date back to 1951 at the University of Michigan.

Barbara’s greatest joy was her family: as a mother of 3, mother-in-law, grandmother of 8 and their spouses, and great grandmother of 4. Barbara was the ultimate matriarch, offering her love, wisdom, kindness, laughter and teasing to her family, each of whom cherished and looked forward to every moment of time with her.

She was especially grateful – as is her family - for her extraordinary and loving caregivers Anna and Chen.

Memorial service Friday 12 PM at Am Shalom 840 Vernon Avenue Glencoe, IL 60022. Interment private – Rosehill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Barbara M. Schrayer Memorial Fund at JUF 30 South Wells Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606 donatenow.juf.org/Schrayer. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com