Barbara Ann Leckstein née Kiley was born in 1946 in the Bronx, New York, and passed away Feb. 10, 2023. She was the third child of Joseph Kiley and Mary Goldstein. She had an older sister and brother, and later, a younger sister and brother. At the age of 12 her family moved to New Milford. Barbara could read by age 4 and graduated New Milford High as the class salutatorian. Many of her classmates noted that Barbara was a nonconformist. While still in her senior year in high school, she met and dated her future husband Michael.
Barbara attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck but after one semester, transferred to the University of Puerto Rico. Barbara had a talent for languages and within a month spoke Spanish without an American accent. She fell in love with the culture and life of Puerto Rico and remained there for over two years.
In April 1966, Michael traveled to Puerto Rico to see Barbara, and they rekindled their love affair. They eloped in May and settled in East Orange where Barbara began working for Schering Pharmaceutical, while Michael attended Rutgers Law School. Barbara advanced quickly at Schering in her position in International personnel and was a finalist in the “Miss Coricidin” contest in 1967. She was both smart and beautiful.
In 1971 Barbara and Michael moved to Little Silver where they raised their three sons. Barbara became active in the community, serving on the Little Silver Board of Adjustment, the Youth Commission of Temple B’nai Israel in Rumson, and the Little Silver Cub Scouts. She was active with the local cancer fund and other local charities.
In 1990 she helped Michael open a local law office and became his paralegal. At the same time she returned to her college studies and graduated Monmouth University, summa cum laude.
All three sons became very successful and were a tribute to her guidance and skill as a mother.
Her hobbies were travel and gourmet cooking. She was skilled as a cook and could prepare meals in any ethnic cuisine. Her travels with Michael always included exploring foreign local foods. She was a “foodie.”
They loved New York City, had a subscription to the Metropolitan Opera, and went to many Broadway shows. Barbara was also a museum nut and never turned down a visit when a new exhibit opened. She also loved old and classic movies.
Barbara was a magnificent dancer. She was a master of ballroom dancing and rock ‘n’ roll. She was a wonderful Latin dancer, a skill she learned and relished while living in Puerto Rico. There was no dance she couldn’t do or quickly learn. She was a natural.
Throughout her life she still maintained her individuality and always remained the nonconformist her high school classmates noted. She was never boring and was always willing to find a new restaurant or explore a new place to visit. Distance never was a factor. In Michael’s opinion, she was always fun and exciting. Barbara and Michael had a never-ending love affair.
Barbara was predeceased by her parents and her younger sister Lorna. She is survived by Michael, her husband of 56 years; her oldest son Marc in Sea Bright and his partner Rebecca; David and his lovely wife Rebecca in Rumson and New York City, along with their two children Joshua and Benjamin; and Jeffrey and his partner Nicole in New York City. Also surviving are Barbara’s sister Patricia Suarez in San Juan, Puerto Rico; her older brother Richard Kiley, also in Puerto Rico; and her younger brother Kenneth Kiley in Richfield Park.
Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Funeral Chapels, Ocean, is in charge of arrangements.
The article originally appeared in the February 23 – March 1, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
