Irving Schiffman, 92
Irving Schiffman, a former textile executive and a summer resident of East Hampton for more than 50 years, died at his Manhattan residence on Dec. 15 of congestive heart disease. He was 92 and been ill for 18 months.
A lover of classical music who regularly attended concerts in New York City and Bridgehampton, he also loved the out-of-doors, particularly in East Hampton, where he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and bird-watching. He was a longtime tennis player and a member of the facility now known as Sportime in Amagansett. He had been employed by Falk Fibers and Fabrics, which was based in New York.
Mr. Schiffman was an active member of Quest, a school for continuing education run by and for senior citizens in the city. He taught there and attended classes, studying European cultural history, the impact of Chinese immigration on America, and the Adams political family, among other subjects. His family said he loved learning and his experience at Quest.
He was born on Sept. 21, 1924, in Dover, N.J., to Max Schiffman and the former Sadie Schwartz. He grew up there, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drew University in Madison, N.J. After graduation, he lived in the Chelsea and Greenwich Village neighborhoods of Manhattan.
Mr. Schiffman and Ruth Goodman were married on Nov. 24, 1954. They settled in Englewood, N.J., where they lived for 19 years and raised three children. The couple began to spend time in East Hampton in the mid-1960s, and bought a house on Pantigo Road in 1968. In 1978, they made an apartment on West 15th Street in Chelsea their winter residence.
Along with his wife, Mr. Schiffman’s three children survive. They are Amy Schiffman of Santa Monica, Calif., Susan Schiffman of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Claire Schiffman of Pleasantville, N.Y. Six grandchildren also survive.
A funeral was held on Dec. 18 at the Greenwich Village Funeral Home, Rabbi Ethan Linden officiating, followed by burial at Baron Hirsch Cemetery on Staten Island.
Mr. Schiffman’s family has suggested memorial contributions to Quest, care of Michael Wellner, 25 Sutton Place South, New York 10022.