Phyllis (Blumenthal) Abrahms

Phyllis (Blumenthal) Abrahms, 91, of Bloomfield, formerly of West Hartford and Beach Park Point, Clinton, Connecticut, died Friday August 5, 2011 at Hartford Hospital. She was the widow of John B. Abrahms, her cherished husband of 59 years, and the daughter of the late Max and Anna Blumenthal of Hartford. She was also predeceased by her beloved son Dr. Eliot Robert Abrahms and by her brothers Elliott and Melvin Blumenthal. She leaves her children Marc of West Hartford and Sally Abrahms and her husband David Rosenthal of Brookline, Massachusetts. Surviving her are her grandchildren Aaron, Max, Zachary, and Simon Abrahms, and Anna, Nicholas and Julia Rosenthal as well as Aaron’s wife Alison and their children Phoebe and Eloise, and Nicholas’ wife Lyndsee. She leaves her sister and brother-in-law Peggy and William Schwartz of Thousand Oaks, California, her cousin Claire Basch Barger of Brookline, Massachusetts, and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves her caregivers Merle Batchelor and Harriet Katz. Phyllis was born in Hartford on December 22, 1919 and raised here. She was actively involved in numerous educational, cultural, social and religious activities and organizations: She was a long-time board member of the Hartford Stage Company, and one of the founders of the Ann Randall Committee of the Arts at the Greater Hartford Jewish Community Center, where for many years she served as Vice President. She was also on the board of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford. Phyllis was a member of Congregation Beth Israel. She graduated from Weaver High School and later briefly taught English there. While still an undergraduate at George Washington University, Phyllis won national awards and prizes for her published fiction, some which were included in text anthologies. After receiving her Master’s degree in English literature from Trinity College in Hartford, she taught literature and creative writing at the University of Hartford for 27 years. She also created and taught a genre course of poetry, short stories, novel and film called “The Aged in Literature” which was subsequently taught by educators in other parts of the country. Funeral services will be held Sunday, August 7, 2011 at 11 AM in the chapel of the Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Ave., Hartford. Interment will follow in Beth Israel Cemetery in Hartford, 153 Ward Street. Following the interment, the family will receive relatives and friends at her son’s home, 6 Chesterfield Lane, West Hartford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Eliot Robert Abrahms Memorial Fund at Hebrew Health Care, One Abrahms Blvd., West Hartford, CT 06117. For further information, directions, or to sign the guest book for Phyllis, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.