Obituary: Joyce Helene Lewis Fischman, 91, Longtime Resident

The following obituary of Joyce Helene Lewis Fischman, 91, is from Magner Funeral Home:

Joyce Helene Lewis Fischman, born in Brooklyn, NY on December 30th 1928 to Ethel and Moses Lewis, passed away at BrightView Senior Assistance and Memory Care in Norwalk on April 30th, 2020. Joyce received her Bachelor of Arts in Art and General Studies at Brooklyn College and received her Master of Arts Degree from New York University in 1950. She moved to Norwalk following her marriage to the late Sid Fischman and was a traveling art teacher in the Norwalk Public School system from 1954-1956. Joyce tutored students privately and ran Rocking Horse Nursery School in Rowayton for many years. She also produced documentary television series, shown on Cablevision, including The Hatters of Norwalk, The Norwalk Oyster Industry, and The Wonderful Balloons. She produced, filmed and, at times, hosted the following Cablevision series between 1990 and 2014: Norwalk Report, Bringing Up Kids, The Money Tree, and Carousel.

Joyce was a member of Temple Shalom for more than 50 years and greatly enjoyed attending services. She taught religious school in the 1960s and 1970s and was the author of two well-received religious-school textbooks for children. As a sculptor and artist, she participated in area art shows and had her work on display in venues such as the Silvermine Art Guild and the Norwalk Public Library. She was a long-standing member of Singles under Sail, enjoyed swimming at Calf Pasture Beach, fed her lifelong love of theater by ushering at the Westport Country Playhouse and other area theaters, and loved spending time with her beloved grandson, Sidney Fischman.

Survivors include her children Carol Fischman King and Eric Fischman (Tamar Mays), grandson Sidney Fischman, brother Howard Lewis (Martha), nephew David Lewis, niece Emily Lewis, great nieces Annabel and Amelia Lewis, great nephew Walter Lewis and great nieces Megan Karl and Mollie Schwartz.

An intimate Zoom funeral, officiated by Rabbi Cantor Shirah Lipson, has already occurred. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Temple Shalom and the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Joyce’s family would like to extend loving gratitude to Joyce’s former caretaker, Dawn Barron, and to the staff at BrightView for their care, kindness and genuine concern during Joyce’s three-year stay. To leave the family an online condolence, please go to www.magnerfuneralhome.com