Obituary of Hortense H. Auerbach

Hortense H. Auerbach, 96, passed away on July 12, 2015. She died peacefully in her sleep. She was born in Monet, Missouri to Estelle and Goldie Henson. At the age of 10, she became deaf after a bout with spinal meningitis. She then attended the Arkansas School for the Deaf. When she was 16, she attended Gallaudet College and graduated in 1940. On June 20, 1941 she married Leon Auerbach, her husband of almost 50 years. She lived in Arizona and Boston before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1944, where she worked at Gallaudet University until retiring in 1981. Hortense was a member of the Episcopal Church and will be remembered for her many years of service to the deaf community, including the Alumni Association of Gallaudet University, National Association of the Deaf, National Information Center on Deafness at Gallaudet, and American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association. Hortense loved her family, gardening, needlepoint, reading, and traveling with her husband and their friends. Survivors include her surviving children, Debby (husband John Giancoli) and Michael (wife Ann). She is also survived by grandchildren: David (wife Tiffany), Cathy (husband Michael Stup), Tom (wife Beth), Laura (husband Steve Gunzburg), Kaia (husband Peter Schwartz), John, Nathan (wife Beth) and Tom (wife Lesley). Hortense is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren: Matthew Giancoli, Tyler Giancoli, Taylor Cook, Kendall Gunzburg, Kendall Cook, Blair Giancoli, Brooke Gunzburg, Nicholas Stup, Oliver Roden, Emily Stup, Dylan Giancoli, James Roden, Ilona Schwartz, Emma Giancoli, Marc Gunzburg, and Charles Schwartz. Hortense was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Auerbach, her daughter Susan Auerbach, and her grandson William Roden. Family will receive visitors at St. Peter's Church in Olney, Maryland, on July 23 from 10 AM to 11 AM. Services will be held on July 23 at 11 AM at St. Peter's Church. Memorial contributions are welcome for The Alumni Association of Gallaudet University, executive director Samuel Sonnenstrahl. Thank you to John, Cathy, Laura, John and Tom for all your love and support during this difficult time. Thank you to the staff and nurses at Friends House in Sandy Spring for all their loving care of Mrs. Auerbach and support for the family.