Phyllis E Rudich

Phyllis was born in Forest Hills, Queens on November 14, 1938, the daughter of Mildred and Herbert Wish, and sister of Harriet Gusman. She was the beloved wife of Joel for 62 years, who predeceased her in March, and the adoring mother of Lauren Sheinman, Debra Smul and Karen Rudich Izo. Although it could be convincingly argued that her dogs Buffy, Suki, Zoe, Sofee, Rox-E, Max-E and Lulu were the loves of her life.

Phyllis graduated from Forest Hills High School and received her bachelor's degree from New York University. She had a verve for fashion, but she put the start of her family before the start of her career. Later in life, she entered the retail fashion world, becoming a rising star in the executive training program at Bloomingdales in NYC. When Joel was presented with a new career opportunity in Ohio, she gave up that career path but continued to make her mark in retail at Montaldo's.

Growing up in Forest Hills, Phyllis was a lifetime tennis fan. The US Open was by far her favorite tournament—the semifinals were on her television when she passed away. Her fondness of sport took her to Wimbledon, several Olympic Games and countless professional sporting events. Phyllis loved the Grand Slam golf tournaments, and only she could turn the judging of every category of the Westminster Dog Show into a full verbal contact sport.

Phyllis was a world traveler. She was as at home at a Mexico City silver bazaar as she was on London's Bond Street or the Sample Road Flea Market in Florida. She flew on the Concorde and traversed Europe on the Orient Express, but her favorite mode of transportation was in a luxurious stateroom of a cruise ship.

A devoted, and admitted, cable TV news junkie, Phyllis absorbed the world news in copious amounts on a daily basis. She was never on a game show, but her knowledge of world affairs and trivia would've taken her far.

Phyllis certainly had her quirks. Her nail polish and lipstick collections were legendary. If she found a shirt she loved, she bought it in every color. And then there were the handbags. And sweaters. And jewelry. She once said, "We only need a two-bedroom house. With 19 closets."

A fierce game-player, Phyllis was a regular in Canasta and Mahjong circles. With her beautiful straight face and a sparkle in her eye, she was quick to take the pot. She called her winnings "her special stash."

Phyllis had her own way of doing things. There were things she loved and things she didn't. Let's just say, if you were a Diet Coke, a piece of toffee or a glass of Chardonnay, you were in good company.

Without irony, Phyllis died on the same day as the Queen.

She is survived by her three daughters, Lauren (Steve), Debra (Peter) and Karen (Erik), her seven adored grandchildren, Danielle, Jake, Alex, Lucie, Jack, Sam and Sadie, three great grandchildren, and of course her three special girls, Max-E, Rox-E and Lulu.

Graveside services will be held 11am, Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at Riverside Cemetery, 12 Market Street, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Spectrum 360, 414 Eagle Rock Ave, Suite 200B Attn: Development Dept., West Orange, NJ 07052

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.guttermanandmusicant.com for the Rudich family.