Phyllis S. Bloom

Phyllis S. Bloom passed away on October 17, 2026, at the age of 93.

Anyone who knew Phyllis Bloom knew that she loved three things most of all: her husband, David; her family; and music.

She was the youngest of three children and was raised as a proud American filled with New World spirit by parents who came over from Ukraine, carrying remembrances of the hardships of the Old World.

She was a good student and smart, both at Newton North High School and at Jackson College – the all-women sister school to Tufts. She was a math major and, after graduation in 1955, was among the first group of women to work at crunching numbers at Boston-area offices relating to the defense industry.

After marrying David, she helped support him in finishing medical school, and throughout her life her math skills served her well as she ran their growing household. She kept the budget and finances and paid the bills through more than six decades of married life.

She seemingly effortlessly created lovely home spaces in every place her family lived. Though she would never credit herself with her clearly innate interior design skills, her family was very proud of her talent, and it set a high bar for when her children would have their own homes.

Phyllis was a devoted culturista and was the leading force in exposing everyone else in the family to what she felt were the important parts of a well-rounded life: art, museums, dance, opera, and most especially classical music.

She made sure her children learned to play an instrument. She hoped they would find joy in the lessons the same way she did for more than a decade studying piano in association with the New England Conservatory of Music.

She started playing around the age of seven and enthusiastically continued, even to the age of 93. It brought her such joy.

She also loved travel and experiencing other cultures and seeing far-flung parts of the world. She would travel with her husband when he would attend medical conferences, and then she would share those pieces of the world with her children, infecting them with an urge to do their own travel throughout life.

Phyllis was a woman of focus, determination, and grit. She believed very strongly in her values and beliefs. She could be very tough, especially when she felt that others were not mirroring her often very high expectations. Within the family, that often made things difficult, but in her own way, that was how she showed her version of love. It wasn’t always acceptance, but it was her way of maintaining a strong connection and binding her family.

For the last decades, she and David lived in the Back Bay area of Boston, and mom thrived as a “city mouse.” She loved walking over to Symphony Hall, and going frequently to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and over to the Athenaeum to hear lectures.

When she was able, she would travel to see her children and their families. She loved her grandchildren, was proud of their accomplishments, and loved being “Gran’mummy” to the next generation.

She was fierce about her independence to the last and was very happy to be able to live her last days at home.

She was the last of the Bloom family influencers and is survived by her three children and grandchildren: Deborah; Gordon and his two children, Audrey and Jason; and Adrienne and her son Gabriel.

May her memory be a blessing.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in the name of Phyllis Bloom to the New England Conservatory of Music at https://necmusic.edu/