Obituary: Roberta Schwartz Berger

Roberta (Bobbie) Schwartz Berger lost her fight to a rare form of leukemia on Jan 31, 2023. After being in remission for more than 2 ½ years, she died peacefully in home hospice.

Bobbie was a trailblazer. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree at eight months pregnant, and earned her Master of Childhood Education, and PhD in Psychology while raising three children. She was also a tour de force. In 2015, she received the Audrey Kaplan Inspiring Women of the Southwest Award from the Southwestern Jewish Committee. She also received the SMU Profiles in Leadership Award from the SMU Women’s Symposium.

She was best known and loved for her empathy and giving heart. She and Murray opened their home to so many who needed a respite including fostering a child who fled Iran and a number of friends who were in transition. Her work as a psychologist concentrated on helping women and children every day. Bobbie also focused her time on charitable endeavors, which included setting up Vogel House in Dallas, Texas. She also served on the boards of multiple nonprofit institutions, including the American Jewish Committee and the Conservative movement’s national sisterhood organization. More recently, she volunteered with the local synagogue, Or VeShalom, making burekas every week.

Everyone knew her for baking and sharing cupcakes, her secret sin cookies and other goodies with people who lived in her senior community. Her challah was legendary, winning the championship for Challah Baking in Dallas, Texas. Bobbie was an avid traveler from the time that she was a teenager—starting in Israel and visiting many countries on every continent in the world, to include Asia, Europe, the Americas, and India. She loved learning about new cultures, history, and meeting new people.

Bobbie is survived by her husband, Murray, of almost 60 years, and her three children, Karyn Berger (Karen Humphrey), Allan Berger (Carita Bachman), and Heidi Geller (David Geller). She was lovingly known as “Bubbie” to her grandchildren: Mikko, Elli, Rachel, Felipe, Daniel and Julia. She was blessed to know her great-grandchildren, Olivia and Hailey. May her memory always be a blessing. Funeral services were held 1:00 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3 at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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