By Scott Brinton
For all his efforts on behalf of the community, the Merrick Chamber of Commerce named Silverman its Man of the Year in 2004.
For four years, Silverman served as president of the Merrick-Bellmore Community Concert Association, completing his tenure last year. During his term, Silverman concentrated on building the group's membership and securing grants to keep the organization strong. The Merrick-Bellmore group is among the area's few remaining community concert associations, and bring first-rate musicians from around the world to the suburbs. Most of the Merrick-Bellmore association's performances take place at Calhoun High School.
Silverman, who called Merrick home for 38 years, possessed a deep love of music that stretched back to his childhood. Doug Mills, the current Kiwanis Club president, said he was speaking with Silverman last Friday about offering children tickets to Merrick-Bellmore Community Concert performances to help instill a love of great music in them. "Music was a personal passion of his," Mills said.
Silverman also served on the Merrick Kiwanis Club Board of Directors, and was slated to become the club's president within three years. "He was a very active board member," Mills said. Silverman's death, he added, "is a great loss to the club."
Bernie Stein, a former Kiwanis Club president, said of Silverman, "He was a gentle man with a big heart and a good sense of humor."
Silverman, who was in sales, recently celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Barbara, a former secretary at Chatterton Elementary School. They marked the occasion with a brunch given by their family. They also had plans for a trip to China.
In addition to his wife, Silverman is survived by his children, Stephen and Amy, Ellen and Michael, and Barry and Abby, as well as six grandchildren.
Funeral services were to be held on Wednesday, after press time.
