Barbara Geldbart

Barbara Geldbart passed away peacefully on December 26, 2025, at the age of 95.

Barbara was an Atlanta native and a 4th generation Atlantan. Barbara attended

Atlanta schools and attended and graduated from the University of Georgia where

she obtained an elementary education degree. This is where Barbara met many of

her lifelong friends including her husband Jack Geldbart who was attending law

school. Barbara and Jack were married in 1951. Jack was a captain in the Air Force

Judge Advocate Corps at the time and Barbara and he lived in different places

including Japan. They later moved to Atlanta, where Barbara taught 2nd grade and

later started a family and she continued to do substitute teaching. In 1962 they built

and moved into their home in Buckhead Atlanta. The family spent so many happy

years at their family home and have wonderful lifelong memories.

Jack owned a record distributorship business. He and Barbara had great memories

of traveling all over the country and meeting so many interesting people in the

music and entertainment business. Throughout her life Barbara and Jack were both

very active in all facets of the Atlanta community. After her children were raised,

Barbara obtained her real estate license and became very active as a residential real

estate agent. She continued to renew her real estate license well into her 90s. In

1978 Barbara and Jack purchased a home in Sarasota, Florida and where they

began to spend more and more time at their North Lido Beach house surrounded

by children and later grandchildren. By the mid 1980’s Sarasota became their

primary residence. Both Barbara and Jack became very active in civic and social

organizations. Barbara was also active in cultural and educational organizations

including the Friends of Selby Library Board for many years and was very active

with several Sarasota theaters and the Sarasota Orchestra.

Barbara was a very up person and loved going to art openings, the symphony or

anything that was going on. If it was happening, she was there. She could talk and

engage with anyone. She loved her grandchildren dearly and they loved her. She

kept up with current events, sports and anything that interested her children and

grandchildren. She was thrilled having four great grandchildren in the last couple

of years. Barbara loved art, painting, gardening and traveling.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband Jack in 1996 and youngest daughter Gina

in 2023. She is survived by her daughter Lisa Wells (Peter); daughter Meryl

Warner (Garry); son David Geldbart; 7 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; sister

Charlotte Falk-Bowen (Grady); brother Gerald Friedman (Sandi); and several 

nephews and nieces. 

Funeral services in Atlanta were held in early January for 

family only. According to her wishes, there will be a Celebration of Life for

Barbara in Sarasota, FL on Thursday, May 7th at 11:00 a.m. It will be held in the

Jack J. Geldbart Auditorium at Selby Public Library in Sarasota, FL. Please RSVP

online by visiting BarbaraGeldbart.com/RSVP.  Her only request was for no one to

wear black. For those wishing to make a memorial gift, please feel free to

contribute to Friends of the Selby Public Library, 1331 1st Street Sarasota, FL

34236 or your favorite charity.