Barbara was born on May 10, 1945 in Brooklyn, NY, the 2nd child of Rose & Jules Lazar & sister to Stephen. By the time she was 2, her family moved to Rockland County, NY. She loved to read & was a bright student.  Disappointed that she was unable to pursue a college education after graduating from high school, she moved into Manhattan where she went to secretarial school, worked for the American Arbitration Association, & enjoyed theatre, museums, restaurants, friends, & exploring.



One day, a dear family friend asked Barbara to go out with a friend’s son. In from college, he didn’t know many people, as his family had moved there just before he graduated from high school. At first she was reluctant, already dating a few men, but finally agreed to a date with Larry Meyerson, a man pursing a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Florida State University. A date turned into a long distance romance & eventually a loving marriage & partnership of over 37 years.



By the time they married on October 23, 1966, Larry was serving in the Mental Health Division of Irwin Army Hospital in Ft Riley. After marrying, Barbara joined him & worked for the Judge Advocate General’s office. They lived in Ft. Riley for 3 years. During this time, Sandey was born. Larry was honorably discharged 6 months later & they moved back east to be closer to family. 



After a year in New Jersey & 2 in New City, NY (Rockland County), they moved to Old Bethpage, NY, where David was born. A few years later, Barbara returned to work as a travel agent & selling Tupperware.  



Barbara’s 1st job in education was as a nursery school aide at the Mid-Island YWYMHA in Plainview. Here, educating & making an impact on the lives of young children, Barbara found her calling. She went on to work at Cantiague Elementary School in Jericho as a Librarian’s Assistant, realizing her complete true calling, combining a love of children & education with a lifelong passion for books & reading, to become a children’s librarian.  



While raising 2 children, keeping a home, working both her day job & with Larry in the video business they started in 1982, Barbara got her Bachelor’s in 1994 from Empire State College & immediately started work on her dual Master’s in Library Science & Elementary Education at Long Island University/CW Post, which she got in 1996.  



Master’s Degree in hand, Barbara found a job at Polk Street School in Franklin Square as an Elementary School Librarian, adding that to her part time work as a librarian in the children’s room at the Jericho Public Library. Barbara was proud to spread a love of learning & reading.  



While at Polk Street School, she discovered a new identity. Realizing that Mrs. Meyerson was also MM she started collecting M&M chochkes, dressing as an M&M for Halloween, & giving M&M treats to her Franklin Square “family”.



Barbara had many pets, including dogs, cats, birds, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles, hamsters, & frogs. When 2 of their dogs had puppies, Barbara played midwife, helping to deliver 3 different litters.  



With their children grown, Barbara & Larry started to explore their lifelong interest in travel. Spending evenings on the boardwalk at Jones Beach, taking daytrips to the eastern end of Long Island, and longer planned and spontaneous trips throughout the eastern seaboard, they took time “just to get away & see new things.”  



Barbara’s life was about people. She loved her family, friends, co-workers, & students.  She will be remembered as a wonderful, caring, bright, & loving woman who brought more to the world & impacted more people than she ever knew; a remarkable woman who taught everyone, by example, to believe in dreams & pursue them with all of your strength, who preached unconditional love & acceptance.