The community mourns the loss of Miriam Hadassah Babin, 72, of Fall River, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Her sudden passing leaves behind a loving family, devoted friends, and colleagues who will remember her for her intelligence, creativity, humor, and generous spirit.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Miriam was the beloved daughter of the late Rabbi Moshe and Helen (Klein) Babin. She was a proud graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, Class of 1971. She continued her education at Barnard College, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1975, followed by a law degree from Boston University in 1978.
Miriam built an accomplished career in law, beginning as an assistant district attorney in Bristol County. She later established her own law practice and ultimately worked in the Bristol County Probate Court, where she became a familiar and respected presence.
Her longtime colleague, Tom Hoye, remembered Miriam as much more than a professional colleague. In expressing condolences on behalf of the court community, he wrote:
“Our office would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of our friend and former colleague Miriam Babin. Miriam was a fixture here for many years as an AJCM and, since her retirement, a frequent visitor to our court in her role as an attorney at Cohen and Cleary. We will miss her friendship and quick wit, that always kept us on our toes.
Rest easy, Miriam.”
Those words capture something essential about Miriam. She was brilliant and accomplished, but she was also someone whose presence could change the atmosphere of a room. Her quick wit, sharp mind, and unmistakable personality made her memorable to everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her. Even after her retirement, she continued to return to the courthouse as an attorney, maintaining the friendships and connections she had built over the years.
Miriam’s Jewish faith and community were also an important part of her life. She was a longtime member of Temple Emanu-El in Providence, where she found a place of connection, tradition, and belonging.
For her family, however, Miriam was so much more than her professional accomplishments. She was a gifted seamstress with an extraordinary talent for turning fabric and thread into beautiful expressions of love. She was the family’s designated tailor, always ready to create, mend, alter, or make something special. She lovingly made baby blankets for each of her nieces, nephews, great-nephews, and great-niece, along with countless other handmade works of art.
There was something deeply personal in the things Miriam made. Each blanket and handmade piece reflected the patience, creativity, precision, and care that she brought to everything she did. These treasures will remain tangible reminders of a woman who found meaningful ways to tell the people she loved that they mattered.
Miriam is survived by her two loving sisters, Nehama Babin of Bethesda, Maryland, and Dena Levine and her husband, Stuart, of Barrington, Rhode Island; her nephews, Daniel Rosenthal and his wife, Elizabeth Shaw, and Nathaniel Levine and his wife, Sarah Bakst; her nieces, Abigail Levine and her husband, Kevin Dillener, Rebecca Levine and her husband, Daniel Heller, and Sarah Rosenthal and her husband, Erik Laby; her great-nephews, Samuel Rosenthal-Shaw, Ethan Heller, Ezekiel Heller, and Max Bakst-Levine; and her great-niece, Emma Rosenthal-Shaw.
Miriam will be remembered for the many different lives she touched: as a sister and aunt, an accomplished attorney, a trusted colleague, a devoted member of her community, a talented seamstress, and a friend whose humor and wit could never be overlooked.
Her life was marked by both accomplishment and connection. She leaves behind not only the people who loved her, but also the things she created, the work she contributed, the friendships she nurtured, and the laughter she brought into the lives of others.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island, followed by burial at Temple Beth El, 4515 North Main Street, Fall River, Massachusetts.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Miriam’s memory may be made to the Jewish Theological Seminary Development Fund or the Massachusetts Bar Foundation.
Rest easy, Miriam. You will be deeply missed.
