Seymour Shenkman

Born in 1936 in Philadelphia to Ukrainian Jewish immigrant parents—Abraham Shenkman and Gertrude Tissian Shenkman— Seymour “Shye” Shenkman was the oldest of three children. The family lived in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood with many aunts, uncles, and cousins nearby. He enjoyed summers at Camp Kinderland in New York State,  where he established lifelong friendships and gained the nickname Whitey for his then-pale blond hair. He earned a scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He went onto graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), after which he began a career in heat transfer and thermodynamics, primarily in the aerospace industry. His career was a frequently peripatetic one, spanning 11 states. While in St. Louis, he met and married Patricia Bishop. After moving together to Reading, Pennsylvania, they had an abbreviated marriage that produced two children—Suzanne and Kenneth. Seymour expressed himself through a love of folk dancing, proper grammar, rice knishes, the Philadelphia-Kansas City- Oakland Athletics, the 76ers, Texas Hold’em poker, and identifying a Philadelphia accent among restaurant waitstaff in far-flung locales. He played table tennis competitively and at one point ranked among the country’s top 50. He was probably an even better dancer. He met Margaret Brennan at a folk dancing event while working in Long Island, NY. They married in 1987.

He is survived by his wife Margaret Brennan; his sister Anita Shenkman of Albuquerque, NM; his brother Aaron Shenkman (Cynthia) of La Jolla, CA; three children: Cathy Samson of Wakefield, MA; Suzanne Shenkman (Albert Crook) of St. Louis; and Kenneth Shenkman (Mireille Hamon) of Chicago; two grandchildren, Juliette and Henry Crook; and Margaret’s children—Lynne Mebust (Kai), Tom Jackson (Jodi), Kenneth Jackson (Kimberly) and Kevin Jackson (Evie Haris). And numerous loving nephews and cousins. He enjoyed Yiddish humor and literature, whistling and singing, and short stories and word games. He had a lifelong affinity for such fine foods as root beer, soft pretzels, and coffee ice cream.

He brimmed with pride for his children and grandchildren and will be missed for his sharp-and-sometimes-barbed wit and sense of humor. Life became more difficult after he lost his sight some years ago, but his mellifluous speaking voice remained strong almost to the end. If you would like to honor Seymour’s life, the family hopes you connect with your loved ones and celebrate their stories.

The family will be in touch about a memorial celebration of life in the near future.