NEW YORK -- Barbara Riefle, 56, a former owner of Hardach Travel
here and later vice president for the Northeast at Maritz Travel,
died last month after a four-year battle with cancer.
She and her husband Hank purchased the majority interest in
Hardach Travel in 1968, after Barbara had been an employee at the
agency for three years. They expanded the business aggressively
from a four-person operation to the major player purchased by
Maritz Travel in 1988.
Both took vice presidential posts with Maritz, Barbara as vice
president and general manager of the Northeast division. She held
that post until forced to take leave for medical reasons.
During her career, Barbara was a member of ASTA's automation
committee and was the instructor or a national ASTA training
program. She also served nine years on the board of Travel Trust
International.
Meanwhile, she and her husband had divorced but, he said, they
were "soul mates" and remained "partners in the broadest sense" for
the rest of her life, especially during her last four years.
He said that Barbara used the New York Marathons of the last
three years as a fundraising device for the Harmony Hill Retreat
Center in Washington state, a resource she had utilized in dealing
with her illness.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the center at 7362 E.
State Route 106, Union, Wash. 98592 and directed to the Barbara
Riefle Cancer Retreat Scholarship Fund. Hank said the fund pays the
tuition and/or transportation costs for cancer sufferers to attend
retreats.
A memorial service is set for 2 p.m. Feb. 8 at the New York
Society for Ethical Culture at 2 W. 64th St.