Barbara Friedman Schechter

NORFOLK – A resident of Harbor’s Edge in Norfolk, Barbara passed away April 29, 2025, surrounded by family.

Born with a congenital heart condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot (Blue Baby disease), she lived “way beyond years she thought possible,” with the advances of medicine and the medical savvy of her physician father and then her physician husband. Barbara thrived and was probably the oldest living Tetralogy of Fallot patient.

At 10 years of age, she was within the first group of 100 children to have the Blalock/Taussig Shunt procedure when it went beyond laboratory experiments at Johns Hopkins University. Then at 39 years of age, Barbara survived the first attempt at total correction at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Her final, successful total correction was achieved at 72 years of age at Boston Children/Brigham Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass.

Barbara was born in Los Angeles, Calif., during her father’s medical training. Her parents then returned to their childhood village of Freeport, Long Island, N.Y. Her flight surgeon father was drafted in WWII.

With his return from overseas, the family moved to Texas, where Barbara joined other “Army brats” in her early school years. Returning once again to Freeport, Barbara completed her schooling.

A prominent artist in high school, Barbara attended Syracuse University School of Art for two years, before marrying pre-med student Gary Lee Schechter. Barbara’s educational desires varied. She went to the New York School of Interior Design, obtaining an interior design license. When her children started high school, Barbara went back to school, attending Old Dominion University and falling in love with English. She graduated with a BA, then an MBA in English.

Barbara then went on to do freelance medical editing and writing. She was a recognized medical editor in textbooks and was an award-winning author in sailing magazines. All her life she continued with art, enjoying most success with palette knife oil painting.
Reading was her passion, especially British Literature.

Barbara deeply loved her husband Gary, and spent 60 years with him camping, sailing, and enjoying country life in their special farmhouse in Mathews County, Va. Upon retiring to Florida, Barbara and Gary enjoyed the beautiful weather and traveling with their motor home until Gary’s death in September 2018.

A true dog lover, she cherished each one of the nine rescues she had throughout her life.

Barbara leaves behind her adored three children, Jordana Schechter Efland (Michael), Stefan Schechter Rosenberg (Paul), and Rick Schechter (Sandy), 10 grandchildren, Jessica Efland, Matthew Efland (Brittany), Elizabeth Rosenberg Levy (Joe), Jacob Rosenberg (Hannah), Kristina Skeen, Kaitlyn Schechter, and Jack Schechter, three great grandchildren, Rose, Noah and Jonah, sister Karen Stapf, and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at Altmeyer Funeral Home in Virginia Beach. Burial was private.

Donations to WHRO at www.tmcfunding.com or the Norfolk SPCA at www.tmcfunding.com. Please also consider being an organ donor. Condolences may be left online at www.altmeyerfh.com.