Barbara A. Willig, 75, former Phila. music teacher

Barbara A. Willig, 75, a retired Philadelphia School District music teacher, died Wednesday of complications from heart surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Willig, who was known as "Bobbi," was a pianist and worked as a music teacher in city public schools for 38 years.

Born in Philadelphia, Ms. Willig was raised in the Brewerytown section of the city before moving to Lower Merion. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and graduated from Girls High and Temple University, where her coursework focused on music and education.

For nearly four decades, Ms. Willig conveyed the joy of music to students all over Philadelphia - through teaching jobs at schools including the former Woodrow Wilson Junior High, Solis-Cohen Elementary, and Wanamaker Middle School until her retirement in 2000. She often led her students in theatrical productions.

She also taught piano privately to hundreds of students.

Ms. Willig was a longtime member of Singing City, a city choir founded to effect social change through bringing diverse people together. That mission was crucial to her life.

"She was an artist in everything she did," said Deborah Willig, Ms. Willig's sister. Playing music was important to her, but so was cooking.

Guests to Ms. Willig's Glenside home were usually treated to gourmet meals, with dishes from appetizers to desserts.

She believed deeply in the labor movement, working as an active member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers during her career, a board member of the B'nai B'rith Educators Unit and a board member of the Jewish Labor Committee.

Ms. Willig was petite - she barely reached 5 feet, 1 inch - but she was a dynamo.

"She had boundless energy," said her daughter, Julie. "My nickname for her was the Energizer Bunny."

Survivors include her daughter, sister, and a brother, Larry.

Services are scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 at Goldstein's Funeral Home, 6410 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. Interment will follow in Montefiore Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Singing City, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia 19102.

kgraham@phillynews.com

215-854-5146 @newskag