Sydney Roberts Shuman, a leading light in New York City’s philanthropic community, died unexpectedly on the evening of Sept. 7 at her Manhattan home. Her death, at the age of 82, was followed by an outpouring of tributes from many of the city’s most prominent institutions, and, said the family, by an “overwhelming” number of condolences.
With her husband, Stanley Shuman, she also lived for many years on Pudding Hill Lane in East Hampton and in Vail, Colo., and was an active participant in both her seasonal communities. Her family wrote that the Shumans, who were married “after a lengthy courtship,” had “a magical 40-year romance, and were brilliant partners supporting each other as major contributors to New York’s well-being.”
Born in Philadelphia on Aug. 2, 1941, to Sydney Macalester Huey and Paul Roberts, Ms. Shuman grew up in Bryn Mawr, Pa., graduating from the Shipley School and Bradford College. From a former marriage in 1968, to Edwin J. Gould, she had two sons, as did Mr. Shuman when the couple married in 1992.
Ms. Shuman was a longtime board member of The Rockefeller University, which recalled her “legendary kindness and caring spirit” in its New York Times obituary. Her “impeccable style,” it added, “brought warmth and a sense of community to every occasion, and added much to the culture and community” of the university.
Tributes also poured in from the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, of which she had been president; the Council on Foreign Relations, the WNET Group, the Women and Foreign Policy Advisory Council, the Second Stage Theater, the Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies, and various other noted institutions. Carnegie Hall, recalling her “contagious smile, kindness, and grace” said her loss was “immense.”
All noted her deep commitment to the causes she embraced. Her family wrote of her “witty sense of humor and strong work ethic” as well — “all in a package of uncommon beauty.” Among her lifelong interests, they wrote, were boating, diving, photography, gardening, reading, classical music, and opera. She was a member of St. James’s Church in Manhattan.
The Shumans belonged to the Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton and supported Guild Hall, the East Hampton Library, and other local establishments. They were also members of the Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset.
Noting that he and his wife had both been married before, Mr. Shuman said by phone this week that “the opportunity to be together for 40 years was just extraordinary.” By all accounts, the marriage was one of mutual adoration.
In addition to her husband, she leaves her two sons, Gordon Roberts Gould of Venice, Calif., and Howard Bacon Gould of Darien, Conn., and two stepsons, David Shuman and Michael Shuman, both of New York City. Five grandchildren, the youngest born on Monday, survive as well, as do three step-grandchildren and two sisters, Gail Ashford of Wilmington, Del., and Diana Slocum of Newport, R.I.
A memorial service is planned for later this fall.
