Bernice Baer, 93

The Baltimore Sun

Bernice Baer, a retired Northwestern High School teacher who was loved by several generations of students, died of heart failure July 13 at her home in the Park Towers apartments in Northwest Baltimore. She was 93.

Born Bernice Bank in Baltimore, she was raised on Park Heights Avenue. She was a 1930 graduate of Western High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Goucher College in 1934.

After she married Harold Levinson in 1937, the couple moved to Newton, Mass., where she taught school until moving back to Baltimore in 1946. They later divorced.

Mrs. Baer returned to teaching. In 1948, she married A. Harris "Pete" Baer, who later became a guidance counselor at Northwestern. He died in 1991.

During her nearly 30-year career, Mrs. Baer taught at Patterson Park High School, Pimlico Junior High School and for many years at Northwestern, from which she retired in 1975.

"She was an exceptional teacher who was deeply loved by her students. We have heard from so many of them in recent days. Many came to the funeral and told stories about her," said Amelie Bank, her sister-in-law.

"One young lady told me that she never had to yell and always had total control of her class. She also said they secretly called her Nana Baer and Polar Baer," Mrs. Bank said.

"She was a real sweet lady and a class act all the way. She was my English teacher in the 10th grade," said Edward Levy, who graduated from Northwestern in 1969, and is an accountant and partner in an Owings Mills accounting firm.

"Actually, I had known her since I was a kid because my dad had been her dentist, and she was like part of our family. I used to call her Grandma Baer," he said.

"She may have been a tiny woman, but she was a commanding presence. She was very soft-spoken, and you had to listen closely because she always had something to say," he said. "She was a very fine and popular teacher who took her job very seriously."

Mrs. Baer did not let her relationship with Mr. Levy interfere when it came time to marking his papers and exams. "She'd fill my papers with plenty of red ink, but she was always very positive," he said.

Mrs. Baer was an accomplished seamstress who enjoyed making clothes. She also liked to read.

She was a member of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation.

Services were held Sunday.

Also surviving are two daughters, Judith Weinraub of New York City and Elin Levenson of West Melbourne, Fla.; a brother, Burton L. Bank of Pikesville; and two granddaughters.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com

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