MARGIE HERSKOVITZ

by Gayle Z. Herskovitz 410-366-6602 gaylejoy@comcast.net

Margie Herskovitz, extraordinary human being, wife, mother, teacher, friend and a prominent gifted astrologer, passed away on February 7, 2009 in Las Vegas., NV due to unexpected and sudden iatrogenic complications from treatment. She was 83

A native of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, graduating from Taylor Alderdice High School in 1942, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1947 to marry Irwin M. Herskovitz (also a Pittsburgh native).. They were married 40 years until his death in 1988. She is survived by two children Gayle Z. Herskovitz-Stevens of Baltimore and Michel Herskovitz of Las Vegas Nevada. She was devoted mother-in-law to Robert J. Stevens, Jr of Baltimore and was sister to the late Esther Zalevsky of Denver, Colorado.

Among her many accomplishments as a former Nursing Home Administrator, business owner and more recently a water aerobics instructor, Margie’s true passion was astrology. She was a NCGR Level IV and ISAR-CAP certified professional astrologer, life member of the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA), National Council for Geocosmic Research(NCGR), International Society for Astrological Research ( ISAR) , Association for Astrological Networking (AFAN), Organization of Professional Astrologers (OPA) and held numerous board positions. She has also been a supporter of Kepler College, the first accredited astrological school in the US. Her contributions to the astrological community spanning more than 45 years, brought her international recognition. Presented with the NCGR Sisophys Award for community service in 2002, she then received the Marion March Regulus Award for Community Service at UAC (United Astrology Congress) May 2008 in Denver, Colorado

In addition to her organizational work, Margie was a frequent guest on radio and television, a featured columnist and guest lecturer on many cruise lines. Her client base was worldwide. She began teaching in the early 1970’s at AUM (Aquarian University of Maryland) and Howard County Community College. She lectured extensively.. She was Co-Owner of one of the first Metaphysical Book/Gift Stores to open in US in 1976 selling custom hand made jewelry, crysal balls, amulets, books, and also offered consultations. Locations were in Dundalk, Ellicott City and Baltimore. Locally, she participated in fund raising efforts to benefit the Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland Science Center, American Visionary Arts Museum, Cystic Fibrosis, just to name a few. . She also has one of the most extensive and comprehensive astrological/metaphysical libraries. For the past 15 years, she became interested in and studied the Kaballah.

Always interested in health and fitness, she started another career at age 71 becoming certified both as an Arthritis Aquatics and water aerobics instructor. Over the course of the next 10 years, she taught at the Maryland Athletic Club, Meadowbrook Aquatic Center , Bennett Institute, and at many retirement communities including Blakehurst. People were always inspired by Margie’s “can do it” attitude, hard work and sense of fun.

Known for her generous, loving and fun nature, adventurous spirit, and life of service, Margie was indeed a collector of people and their friendship. To celebrate Margie, a blog http://rememberingmargie.blogspot.com , is dedicated to sharing memories and reflections on her life. She was also a member of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation.

Funeral services and interment will be held at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery - Berrymans Lane, on Friday, February 13, at 12 Noon.. Contributions (please omit flowers) in her memory may be sent to Kepler College, 4630 200th St. SW, suite P, Lynnwood, WA 98036 or Lev Hashem, 3644 N. Rancho, suite 102, Las Vegas, NV 89130 Family at Home: 1334 Church Hill Drive (off Old Court Road) Baltimore MD 21208 After the funeral on Friday, February 13, 2009 and after 1 PM on Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15, 2009.

Dear Family and Friends of Margie,
Gayle asked me to launch this website for all of us whose lives have been touched by Margie, to share our memories and thoughts of her, saying "Margie would love to know that even after her death, she continues to be the catalyst to bring together this large community of people that she knew and loved. Perhaps the website will grow with dialogues about the subjects that were Margie's passion, and in that way Margie's legacy will continue to live on. She would just love that!"

So once again, I have the honor of sitting in the publisher's spot for Margie, as I did for Baltimore Resources Journal which proudly featured a column by her, called "Astrologically Speaking by Margie Herskovitz," for over 18 years. This tremendous body of work is just one of a great many contributions Margie made in her lifetime. She always provided her insightful column on time, spellchecked and grammatically perfect, of course--such a Virgo!

So, we invite all to share your stories, your passion, your feelings here, as we remember Margie.
Bonnie Raindrop

P.S. Strangely, this posts as if coming from "Margie Herskovitz", and in fact I truly believe she is orchestrating her final "conference" of the astrology community, which she poured so much of herself into. And it is likely her hand over mine, as I unwittingly set something up in the software that lets us know that she is near, ever-present as guiding angel to all of us.