Phyllis Weisman Blackman of Greenwich Dies at 92

Phyllis Bernstein Weisman Blackman died peacefully of natural causes at her longtime Greenwich, Conn., home on Feb. 8. She was 92.

The daughter of Bernard “Bunny” and Ethel Bernstein, whose family owned National Silver Industries and F.B. Rogers Silver Co., known for consumer and specialty silver-plated tableware and hollowware, Phyllis grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and attended The Dalton School. She left school to raise a small family before returning later in life to Purchase College, SUNY.

An avid reader and lover of classical music, Phyllis enjoyed helping family members with advice and support. She had a great love for animals, reserving her greatest affection for her bichon frise, Sugar. A cherished companion, Sugar was a source of joy and comfort.

Phyllis also had a public side, enjoying extensive world travel, especially cruises to faraway and exotic places. One of her claims to fame, and a piece of family lore, was her status as comedian Joan Rivers’ oldest childhood frenemy.

Phyllis Bernstein, upper left and Joan Rivers, bottom right at Camp Kinni Kinnic in the 1940s/The Grapevine

Rivers was incensed over Phyllis’ casting above her for the role of Snow White in the annual Kinni Kinnic summer camp play. Later interactions reportedly resulted in Rivers being dismissed from camp based on some of Phyllis’ antics. Rivers featured those events prominently in her autobiography. 

Phyllis later returned the favor by outing some of Rivers’ outrageous behavior for The National Enquirer supermarket tabloid, Much later in life, the two reconciled backstage at a New York City Rivers performance.

Phyllis was married for more than 30 years to A. Budd Weisman, a top executive at National Silver Co., before his death in 1984. She later was married for more than 30 years to Arthur Blackman of Needham, Mass. He died in September 2025.

Phyllis is survived by her son, Daniel Weisman of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and daughter Amy Weisman of Manhattan, New York, as well as Marjorie Levin, a sister of Newton Centre, Mass,, a nephew Edwin Levin Jr. of Stonington, Conn. and a niece Sarah Levin Bourque of Ashland, Mass, and Phyllis’ stepchildren, Keith Blackman of Franklin, Mass., and Lisa Nathanson of Sharon, Mass.