Funeral Details

Bobbe Wolf
February 8, 1935 – April 15, 2024

Bobbe loved being a professional photographer so much that she often remarked she never worked a day in her life. The subjects of her creative photographic eye ranged from exotic locations and their intriguing inhabitants (both people and wilder life), to corporate reports, breaking news stories, artists, high profile entertainers and beloved family and friends. Her work, on behalf of Time and People Magazine as well as myriad corporate clients (including one of her favorite doctors), took her all over the world as well as frequently back to her cherished Chicago. Her work was displayed at museums and photo exhibitions. These included her "Aging is Not for Sissies" series and her personal passion project, "Fifty Couples Over Fifty”, featuring many dear friends, family and a self-portrait, with her #1 fan and supporter, husband Hugh.

From dancing lessons in Buenos Aires, Argentina to hiking the Milford Trek in New Zealand, Bobbe loved traveling the world with Hugh. Together they visited over 70 countries. She had equal passion and purpose in inspiring and encouraging family and friends to explore and embrace the common and uncommon in the world around them.

Bobbe had a playful sense of humor and loved board games of all kinds, especially Scrabble. She was a tireless advocate for progressive causes, particularly diversity issues and women’s rights. She was a volunteer with Planned Parenthood and served as an escort into clinics for women seeking services. She was a co-founder of what is now The Village Chicago, a community network of friendship, leisure time activities and social services for people over 50. She founded the Village’s Tiny Theatre program to take groups to Chicagoland theaters with seating for 50 or fewer people. During COVID, when theaters were shut down, she pivoted to organize an online discussion of movies made from plays.

A dynamic and adventurous woman who lived her values, Bobbe was first and foremost a loving spouse, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Bobbe was the beloved wife of Hugh Brodkey; loving mother of Stuart Wolf (Laura Kushner) and Julie Wolf; devoted stepmother to Jennifer Kaufman (Todd), Lisa Brodkey (Rob Wiener), Dave Brodkey (Marion); adoring grandmother of Julia and William Wolf; Daniel (Talia) and Jonathan (Joanna Potenza) Kaufman; Gabriel (Daniela Wiener) and Jonah (Kailey Nichols) Wiener-Brodkey; Maya (Katrina Hanson) and Sam (Hayley Odell) Brodkey; doting great-grandmother of Mia, Eli, Oliver and Louisa Kaufman; and enthusiastic aunt of Steve (Gail) and Rick Goldberg (Beth), Steve (Brenda Barnum), Clay (Pasquale), Warren and Laury Press. Bobbe was preceded in death by her beloved brothers Alan Press (Dorothy) and Herbert Press (Millicent).