Barbara Wilder Pearlman
Aug 26, 1968- June 27, 2020
Hairstylist Trainee

On Saturday, June 27, 2020, Barbara Wilder Pearlman, loving wife and mother of two, passed away at the age of 51. Barbara was born Mary Barbara Ratajc in 1968 in Cleveland, Ohio to Bozidar and Angela (Kos) Ratajc. Throughout her life, Barbara brought love, friendship and joy to uncountable friends and family. She was a whirlwind of energy and creativity, and was passionate about everything and everyone she cared about. She was a talented chef, artist, gardener, friend, and an overall inspiration to many. Barbara loved cooking, experimenting with flavors, techniques and world cuisines. Her zest for new foods eventually turned into a career. Nothing made her happier than feeding friends and family, and spending time with those she loved. Barbara was also a talented artist in multiple media, as well as an avid gardener. There was never a time when she didn't have at least a few different projects of some kind going. Barbara was preceded in death by both of her parents, Bozidar (Bill) and Angela. She is survived by her husband David (who met her 25 years earlier, on July 22, 1996, and then married her exactly a year later); Her children Jacob and Livia, her siblings Michael and Margie and their families, her Uncle and Aunt Tony and Mary Kos, her cousins Monica, Sonia and Tony, and many friends. Barbara grew up in a specialty food shop her parents owned in Ohio; her father was an Austrian-trained butcher who crafted salami, ham, sausage and cheese. While most kids were sneaking candy, she was tiptoeing up to the attic where her dad kept a giant hindquarter of prosciutto and sliced little pieces off for herself.

Barbara studied makeup while finishing high school, and in addition to becoming a cosmetologist, she studied special effects makeup in Toronto, with the goal of working in film and TV. Soon afterwards, she packed up all her possessions and drove across the country to Los Angeles. Through her talent and newfound connections, she became successful in the industry, working on projects including television shows and mini-series. Her Television credits included: Babylon 5, Dinner and a Movie, and The Shining. Her film work included: Swordfish, Phone Booth, Spider-Man and Boogie Nights. Barbara joined Local 706 in March 1996 as a Trainee Hair Stylist. After many years in the business, Barbara made the decision to leave the industry to start a family and raise her two children. She took an honorable withdrawal January of 2002.

All the while she found herself experimenting with unique ingredients and diverse flavor profile, leading her to her next career passion, cooking. Barbara was always an outstanding home cook, and craved a new career. To fulfill that dream, she studied at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Hollywood and graduated with honors. She spent some time in the restaurant world, but her love of world cuisine would take her in a different direction. She spent years at Whole Foods, where she built a strength in culinary development. She formulated many recipes across all venues, wrote seasonal guides for team members, and trained staff. A passion for creating new formulas drove her to seek other opportunities that would allow her to focus on development. Barbara worked for a string of companies, each time learning more about food science and the production process. She developed items that were distributed to grocery stores and became part of their ongoing offerings. She had many more projects on the horizon. Barbara had a bright, larger-than-life personality. She was a passionate person with strong opinions and a caring heart who loved friends and family both old and new. She leaves a hole in the lives and hearts of those who were lucky enough to have her in their lives, even for a shorter time than anyone expected. An online virtual memorial service was held for Barbara's friends and family.