Phyllis Lusskin

Phyllis Lusskin passed away peacefully in her home on August 10, 2026, after a fully realized life anchored in family, public service, travel, culture and culinary enjoyment. Phyllis was born in 1935 in the Bronx to Morris and Syliva Brown, joining her brother Armin. She was a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, a unique educational experience which launched her into a career in public health administration.

As a very young Director of Personnel at Beth Israel Hospital, she met a young doctor, Ralph Lusskin, who became her partner on an incredible journey from their marriage in 1958 until his passing in 2015. After their two daughters were born, with his encouragement, she returned to school and earned a Masters of Science in Administrative Medicine from Columbia University. Her career in public health administration began at the US Department of Health and Human Services, and continued as a health policy consultant to government and health-related foundations, including the Schuyler Center of Analysis and Advocacy.

She began her civic engagement volunteering with the Lexington Democratic Club, through which she was connected to the Women’s City Club of New York (now Women Creating Change), where she joined an illustrious group of professional women in creating impactful civic policy recommendations. She served as WCC president from 1986-1988, and on its board for some 30 years. In recent years she participated in numerous voter engagement efforts. She returned to a love of choral music in the late 1980s, joining the Oratorio Society of New York, with which she sang, at Carnegie Hall, even as she celebrated her 90th birthday. She and Ralph were dedicated opera lovers, intrepid travelers to world capitals and deep backwoods, as well as art collectors with tastes ranging from the avant-garde to Native American.

In her gracious apartment, she was the consummate host to numerous family gatherings, Oratorio Society music events, and intergenerational New Year’s celebrations.

She was a devoted and much beloved mother to her children Shari Lusskin and Elizabeth Lusskin (Marc Solomon), and cherished grandmother to Lauren Wagner, Sadie Solomon, Eric Wagner (Katherine) and Isaac Solomon.