Former Rockville council member Beryl Feinberg served in — and beyond — local government

Former Rockville City Council member Beryl Feinberg is perhaps best known for her career in elected politics — but she is remembered by many in Montgomery County for her decades of behind-the-scenes service.

“Colleagues across the executive and legislative branches knew her as rigorous, principled, and unfailingly prepared,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in an Aug. 10 statement.

In the days following her death from pancreatic cancer on Aug. 9, many who knew Feinberg echoed Elrich.

Feinberg, who was 75, died in her Rockville home. She is survived by her husband, son and several grandchildren.

A member of the Rockville City Council from 2013 through 2023 and expert on the county budget, Feinberg advocated passionately for services for seniors and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, according to her obituary.

“She understood deeply how important it is that every neighborhood and every part of our City has a voice,” Rockville City Council member Adam Van Grack wrote in an Aug. 10 Instagram post. “I treasured her perspective and advice.”

Feinberg’s worked for the county for 28 years, including 15 in its Office of Management and Budget. She finished her county career as deputy director and chief operating officer at the Department of General Services before retiring in 2018.

Outside of government service, Feinberg volunteered and served on the board of Sunflower Bakery, a Rockville-based nonprofit that provides jobs for people with developmental disabilities. She served as a board member and then chair of the Montgomery and Prince George’s Hospice. She was also active in her congregation, Temple Shalom, in Chevy Chase.

Feinberg was born in 1950 in Teaneck, New Jersey. She moved to the Washington area to attend the School of International Service at American University. She met her husband, Ed Feinberg, while interning at the State Department. They married in 1973.

Feinberg received a master’s degree in library science from Catholic University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland at College Park. Prior to her time with the Montgomery County government, Feinberg was a librarian and manager with the Prince George’s County Memorial Public Library system.

“Beryl dedicated her life to serving our community with compassion, integrity, and a deep commitment to making Montgomery County a better place,” County Council member Evan Glass said in an Aug. 10 Facebook post. “Her leadership and friendship touched so many lives.”