Barbara Erbland

Barbara Jean (Veit) Erbland passed away peacefully on November 4, 2025, at the age of 95 at the Jewish Home of Rochester. Born in Rochester on May 14, 1930, to Harold A. and Willie Anne (Williamson) Veit, Barbara was a lifelong resident of Monroe Country.

A 1948 graduate of Charlotte High School, Barbara’s life was marked by creativity, courage, and deep love. She was a long-time member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Charlotte and was an active member of the Greece Choral Society alongside her former husband, the late William “Bill” G. Erbland. Her musical talent shone as a Music for People participant and a clarinet player in the New Horizon Band. Her love of books and family intersected in her involvement with the Junior Great Books program at her children's elementary school, and in a cherished family ritual of reading to her children in the hallway of their home as they fell asleep.

Later in life, Barbara's spirit of adventure and partnership continued to define her. After she reluctantly gave up tennis in her 80s, Barbara —with her beloved spouse of 48 years, Judith “Judy” M. Binder —co-founded “Come Out Dancing,” a Rochester-based LGBTQ+ swing dance group that brought joy and community to many. Together in retirement they traveled to Africa, the Galapagos Islands, the Caribbean, the Baltics and the Danube River.

Her adventurous side was also captured when she and Judy participated in an Outward Bound trip in Maine when Barbara was 56, the oldest participant on the trip. The experience was featured in Vogue magazine, where Barbara was quoted speaking her truth: "What keeps me from my full potential is fear." Later, with the help of friends, they designed and built an off-grid cabin in the woods of South Bristol overlooking “Turtle Pond,” which became a hub for family fun, gatherings, and the location of their wedding on July 22, 2016; a celebration of their 39th anniversary.

Barbara held several professional roles throughout her life, including as a real estate agent and certified Reiki practitioner. At Eastman Kodak, she retired as a technician in the Image Stability Lab but, prior to having children, had also worked in the Visual Research Studio of renowned photographer Jeannette Klute. She often assisted Jeannette in the field, including wrangling the food for the photographs in the 1951 edition of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook and slogging through wetlands carrying the large format camera Jeanette used to create the photographs for her seminal work Woodland Portraits. This working relationship blossomed into a close and life-long friendship between Barbara, Judy, and Jeannette.

Barbara was a dedicated activist for women’s rights and peace. Her commitment was demonstrated through her campaigning for pioneering New York State legislator Louise Slaughter, her participation the Peace Camp at the Seneca Army Depot, and the March for Women's Lives in Washington DC.

In addition to her former husband, Bill, Barbara was predeceased by sister, Virginia Ann Veit; brother, William F. Veit; and son, Robert S. Erbland.

She is remembered with love by her wife, Judy Binder; sister, Patricia V. Jeppesen; daughter, Catherine Erbland; and sons, Stephen Erbland and Peter Erbland (Rick King); grandson, Joshua Erbland (Jasmin Keys); step-grandchildren, Annie King (Andrew Hunter) and Lucy King (John Savino); great-grandchildren, Phoebe and Howard Hunter; and many others.

The family extends its deepest gratitude to the staff at the Jewish Home and to the Griffin family—Ginny, Michael, Paige, and Sam—for their years of friendship and support, and specifically to Ginny for her dedicated role as caregiver to Barbara and Judy for the past two and a half years.

A celebration of Barbara’s life is planned for July 2026.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her name to the Jewish Home Foundation, Lollypop Farm of the Humane Society of Rochester, Rainbow Seniors ROC Center, or to other causes focused on the environment, peace and justice.