Barbara Elaine Jeffe, a woman of remarkable resilience, curiosity, and warmth, passed away on May 3, 2026, at the age of 85.

Born on August 5, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland, Barbara’s early years were marked by profound loss. Her father, Sam Zuckerman, died in a fire when she was just two years old. Her mother later remarried Sam Smith, and Barbara grew up alongside her three siblings: Marilyn, Susan and Carole.

A woman of exceptional intellect, Barbara pursued physics at the University of Maryland and then UCLA, where she earned her master’s degree. This was a distinction made all the more remarkable by the fact that she was among only a small handful of women in her field at the time. It was in Los Angeles that she met the love of her life, Richard Jeffe, to whom she would remain devoted for nearly 59 years.

Together, Barbara and Richard built a life that was anything but ordinary. Following the birth of their first son, Steven, the family moved from Los Angeles to Iran for Richard’s work, where their son Michael was later born. The family continued their life abroad, living in Israel and Guyana before eventually settling in Aspen Hill, Maryland, a home they cherished for more than 50 years.

Barbara went on to have a distinguished career as a computer scientist where she applied her deep knowledge of physics to support early weather and Earth observation satellite missions, much of which is foundational to how we understand our planet from space today.

Outside of her professional career, Barbara was a beloved figure in the Israeli and International folk dance and tap dance communities. She and Richard traveled the world attending folk dance events, forging friendships across cultures and continents through their shared love of movement and music. That same passion for world culture extended to her lifelong dedication to tracing her family’s genealogical roots through generations in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Barbara was also a painter. Her passion for painting included submitting work to the JCC Senior Art Show in Rockville every year, doing so right up until the final week of her life.

Above all, Barbara will be remembered for her love of life, her devotion to family and friends, and her deep Jewish faith.

She is survived by her husband Richard; her son Michael; and her grandchildren Sophia, Elia, and Lucas.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Bender JCC of Greater Washington or the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center.

A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on Tuesday, May 5th at 2:00 PM

at Garden of Remembrance in Clarksburg, Maryland.

Services are entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.