Barbara N Weiss

Barbara was the daughter of the late Arthur Lord Nash and Mary (nee Estey) Nash. She was born in Flushing, NY on January 21, 1938.

Barbara graduated from The Emma Willard School, a private college preparatory day and boarding high school in Troy, New York. One of her classmates was Jane Fonda. Barbara shared some wonderful stories about their boarding school years.

Barbara attended Denison University in Granville, OH. She moved to Detroit in 1958.

Barbara joined the Jam Handy Organization (JHO) in 1959 as a production secretary. Jam Handy was nationally known as the premier industrial motion picture and training company of its time. Their clients included the Big Three automotive companies as well as the United States government.

Barbara quickly advanced to a production assistant and then received promotions into production coordination and financial management.

In 1971 William Sandy, a senior vice president at JHO, started his own company with the blessing of Jam Handy. Bill took some 70 employees and formed the Bill Sandy Company. Barbara joined the group in 1974 as a production management specialist.

Over her 33-year career with the Bill Sandy Company, Barbara held positions in production management and financial management for clients including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, and Nissan.

Barbara retired in 2007 as Vice President of Operations. During her working years, she

became an active member of the Junior League of Detroit in 1958, serving as a trail blazer for other career women.

She became the first, full-time working Junior League of Detroit President in 1983-84. Throughout the years, she served on numerous JLD committees and chaired Ways and Means, By-laws and co-chair of the 1986JLD Designers’ Showhouse fundraising and party committees. In 2012 she received the Sustainer Outstanding Service Award and in 2014 she received the Wendy Jennings Show House Award. Barbara was an Honorary member of the JLD Gardeners.

Barbara was always active in the community serving on the boards of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial and Grosse Pointe Historical Society. She was generous to all kinds of animal causes and a dedicated donor at The Helm.

Barbara’s service will be held on Friday, January 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 467 Fairford Road, Grosse Pointe Woods. Interment will take place at a later date in Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, John E. (Jack) Weiss, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Deborah (Stephen) Chiles of Berwyn, PA. and nephew, Stephen M. Chiles, Jr. and niece, Abigail C. (Bren) Lee and many cousins. She will be missed by her family and all of her loyal and devoted friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Junior League of Detroit Endowment Fund, 32 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 or the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society, (GPAAS) 20542 Harper Avenue, Harper Woods, MI 48225.