Obituary of Barbara Gottorff

Barbara Jean Gray Gottorff, 75, of Rochester, NY, passed away September 29, 2020. Born in Chicago on July 17, 1945, to Frank W. Gray, Jr., and Ellen Rose (Krahn) Gray, Barbara graduated from Bogan High School in 1963 and from Valparaiso University in 1967 with degrees in English and German. In high school she played the flute in the marching band, and in college she was involved in the Deaconess program and a member of the Gamma Phi sorority. She went on to earn an MA in Social Work from the University of Chicago and an MBA from St. John Fisher College. Barbara moved to Rochester, NY, in 1982 and became a social worker/therapist. A life-long learner and adventurer, Barbara served in the Red Cross in Germany, volunteered on a missionary trip to the Dominican Republic, enjoyed birdwatching and classical music, and loved exploring her Irish heritage. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word and an avid student of the life and teachings of Martin Luther. Most of all, she was devoted to her loving husband, Donald Gottorff, who survives her. Barbara is also survived by her brother Frank (Laurie) Gray, niece Victoria Gray, and nephew Lincoln (Beth) Gray, all of Fort Wayne, IN; her niece Allison Gray (David Maurer) of Raleigh, NC; four great-nieces and two great-nephews; her brother-in-law, Leo (Wendy) Gottorff of Webster, NY; and cherished friends Judee Tomlinson, Chicago, IL; Pamela Ruggieri, Gary, IN; Jean Angler, The Villages, FL; and Ann Seemann, Eureka, CA.