Remembering Barbara

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Barbara Greenspun, who died Tuesday, led a truly remarkable life in her 88 years — more than six decades of which were spent in Las Vegas. Barbara, along with her husband, Hank, were pioneers — in journalism, real estate development and the civic life of Southern Nevada. She epitomized Southern Nevada’s promise — a risk-taker, an unbending optimist, an individual who understood how important it is to give something back to the community you love.

Just one example of Barbara’s devotion to the community can be found in the pivotal role she played in the success of the Las Vegas Sun, which she became publisher of following Hank’s death in 1989. When Hank started the newspaper in 1950, times were uncertain and tough. Fifty years later she recalled those difficult early days. “We constantly needed to raise money to meet payroll, even though everyone worked for peanuts,” she said. “We would collect $5 here and $10 there from advertisers, and we managed. Back in those early days, we were all in the same boat — us and our advertisers. We helped each other. When they didn’t have money to pay us, we ran their ads. When we needed the money to buy newsprint, they would come through for us.”

Although the family-run newspaper had its share of financial struggles, it never lost sight of its mission, which was to hold the powers-that-be accountable. Hank was a crusading journalist who had his fair amount of battles against demagogues, including the likes of Joe McCarthy. While Barbara said she and her husband didn’t start a newspaper to win awards, we’d be remiss not to mention that the Sun won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service during her watch.

Underneath Barbara’s grace and serenity was a steely resolve that was equal to Hank’s. She was the guiding light of the family, the stabilizing force that her children — Brian, Danny, Susan and Jane — so loved. While she always had plenty of time for her own children, we shouldn’t forget all that she did for so many other kids in Southern Nevada. For instance, she was a founding member of the Las Vegas Sun’s Summer Camp Fund, which annually sends hundreds of children to camp who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. Additionally, she was a director of the Greenspun Family Foundation, which over the years has donated money to so many important causes, including education and the arts.

Barbara also devoted herself to Jewish causes — she was raised Jewish in Ireland. She had served on the national board of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, was a supporter of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and was a member of Congregation Ner Tamid. In 2005, she received the Americanism Award, the Anti-Defamation League’s most prestigious honor.

She led an incredible life, one that touched so many lives, and will leave a lasting, positive impact on this valley and beyond. It’s difficult to imagine what Southern Nevada would have been like without her. Fortunately, Barbara leaves us with an example of a life lived to its fullest, one that we can all aspire to. She will be missed.