Barbara Zeitlin Kravets passed away peacefully, with family
beside her, on Wednesday night, April 11, 2012. Her passing marks the end of
her six-year battle with leukemia and lymphoma.
Born Barbara Karen Zeitlin to parents Rosalyn and Nathaniel
Zeitlin, a speech therapist-sculptress and roentgenologist, respectively,
Barbara attended Braeside Elementary School in Highland Park, Illinois and
graduated from Highland Park High School.
With a major in psychology, Barbara was a Phi Beta Kappa, Summa
Cum Laude graduate of Northwestern University and a Rhodes Scholar Candidate.
As a Licensed and Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, she was
in private practice for 43 years. She is the former Director of Nutrition
Outreach Services for American International Hospital. Barbara co-drafted
Illinois laws that license nutritionists and dietitians and was a Governor
appointee to the State Board that oversees this licensing. She also wrote the
United States credentialing exam for nutritionists.
Barbara was the former Director of Nutrition for the country’s
then largest doctor’s vitamin company and was the Director of Nutrition for the
Fruitful Yield and Here’s Health health food stores.
A popular speaker on national radio and television, a published
author of peer reviewed journal articles, Barbara Kravets also was the editor
of The NutritionNews, an internationally distributed, peer reviewed, journal
abstract, email nutrition newsletter.
Barbara is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and
Josephine Zeitlin; her daughters Laura and Linda Kravets; her son and
daughter-in-law, Jim Kravets and Kristan Diefenbach; and Laura’s two children
Samuel and Taylor Gautier. She is also grandmother to two cats, Honeybell and
Embouchure, and a dog, Moonlight; and “granddogma” to Birdy the dog.
In lieu of flowers, it was Barbara’s request that donations in
loving memory be made to the Samuel and Taylor Gautier College Fund. The fund
is in the care of Laura’s attorney. Those wishing to offer support can make
checks payable to “Francis J. Battersby, Trust Account,” and write, "Sam
and Taylor Gautier" on the memo line. Mail to Laura Kravets at 47 Mohawk
Trail, Ringwood, NJ 07456.
Per Barbara's wishes no memorial service will be held. Those
wishing to help celebrate Barbara Kravets’ life are encouraged to share
spirited remembrances and photos on this website; see the links at the bottom of the obituary
page.
