Remembering Barbara Lee, YWCA Marin Women’s Hall of Fame Honoree and Founder of Bloom

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Barbara Lee, a beloved community leader, advocate, and 2011 inductee into YWCA’s Marin Women’s Hall of Fame.

Barbara dedicated her life to uplifting others with compassion, dignity, and unwavering commitment. She founded Bloom at the age of 72 with passion and a vision to provide gently used clothing and basic essentials to low-income individuals.

Through Bloom, Barbara helped thousands of people, particularly women, rebuild their lives with confidence and self-respect. She believed deeply in second chances and the power of community support to change lives.

Her work not only met a critical need in Marin County, but also set a powerful example of grassroots leadership, compassion in action, and justice-centered service. For this work, Barbara was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award in 2022.

In 2011, Barbara was honored with an induction into the YWCA Marin Women’s Hall of Fame for her work creating social change. Her Honoree Bio and Interview are preserved through the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame.

n memory of Barbara, or if you would like to honor her, please do something kind for someone. Her legacy lives on in the work of Bloom, the lives she changed, and the countless individuals she inspired. She and her family would also be touched by a donation to Bloom (a request from the family: please make sure to include Bloom in your donation message on our website’s giving page).

Read her complete obituary at tridentsociety.com