Obituary of Mort Barrish

Mort Barrish was born on March 8, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Joseph and Sophia Barrish. He grew up during the Great Depression and attended Cleveland public schools, including Cleveland Heights High. Three months prior to graduation in 1943, he quit school to enlist in the army to fight against Hitler. He was a medic in the 42nd Rainbow infantry division and saw combat in France, the Rhineland (Battle of the Bulge) and Germany. The Rainbow Division liberated the main concentration camp at Dachau. Man's inhumanity to man was a theme that played out for him during the rest of his life. Upon discharge, he returned to Cleveland and on Nov. 23, 1947, he married his high school sweetheart Renee Resnick. He started his long career of "volunteering" as a volunteer fire fighter. In the 1950s they moved to California and settled in the San Fernando Valley. Mort went to work at the L.A. Examiner and remained in the typographical field until 1972 when he entered the insurance field. Upon securing his broker's license he joined with a friend to form Parker-Barrish Insurance located in Reseda. He and Renee moved to Carpinteria in 1978. Mort was always active in civic, veteran and fraternal affairs. The list below shows all of his involvements and accomplishments. He is survived by his three children, Lory Perry (married to Tom), Marvin Barrish (married to Gail) and Marlene Shann (married to Myron). His wife of 62 years, his beloved Renee, passed away in 2009. Fraternal: 1965-1966 State Commander of the Jewish War Veterans 1975 Scottish Rite and Al Malaika Shrine Temple 1980 Master of West Gate Masonic Lodge 1985 Master of Carpinteria Masonic Lodge Also member of Past Masters Shrine Club, Legion of Honor and Santa Barbara Shrine Club Civic: Member Board of Directors of Bob Hope Hollywood USO 1980-1984 Member City of Carpinteria Architectural Revue Board 1981-1983 Member Santa Barbara County Human Services Commission - 6 years Member Board of Directors Carpinteria Summerland Fire Protection District 1985-2001 3-day a week Volunteer at the Carpinteria Station of the Santa Barbara County Sherriff Dept. 1-day a week volunteer driver for HELP of Carpinteria Honorariums: Gold Medal recipient of U.S. Governments "People to People" program in 1965 for veteran affairs. Certificate signed by WWI ace Eddy Rickenbacker Certificate of Commendation from Los Angeles City Council 1980 for civic activities. Recognition from both the Northern California Holocaust Survivors Association and the Santa Barbara Jewish Federation for being a concentration camp liberator. Mort was also interviewed by the Steven Spielberg Holocaust Library Foundation.