Herman Silverman

Born to Sam and Elizabeth Silverman in the back of a police wagon on the way to the hospital in Camden, he grew up in West Philadelphia, Pottstown, and Strawberry Mansion. When his father died, Mr. Silverman, then 9, and his two brothers took care of their mother. He graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia and went on to earn a degree in landscape design from the National Farm School in Doylestown, now Delaware Valley University. In 1947, Mr. Silverman established the tiny Sylvan Landscaping Services. Three years later, he and his brother Ira launched Sylvan Pools and built the company into a national leader in pool design and construction before selling it in 1969. Later, Mr. Silverman liked to look out the windows of airplanes when flying low, and note the areas with his pools. Yet as much as he loved the pool business, he liked real estate better. In 1980, he started the Silverman Family Partnerships, a property management company, and kept going sporadically to his office in Doylestown until several weeks ago. Mr. Silverman was best known for his efforts to establish the Michener Art Museum in a former prison building in Doylestown. Michener, his close friend, fellow art lover, and a noted author, gave his name to the project. At the time of his death, Mr. Silverman held the title of museum founder and chairman emeritus. Ann and Herman Silverman reared four daughters in Danboro. A year after his wife’s death, he married Elizabeth Serkin, daughter of renowned pianist Rudolf Serkin and a clinical sociologist. A few months later, the couple moved to Pennswood Village in Newtown. Besides his wife, Mr. Silverman is survived by daughters Jeffra Nandan, Leda Molly, Binny Silverman, and Jenny Silverman; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; stepchildren Edmund Ludwig, Tobias Ludwig, Sarah Ludwig, and David Ludwig; and five stepgrandchildren. Two brothers died earlier.