JANIS WEISSMAN

WEISSMAN--Janis Myrna Cohen. Janis Myrna Cohen Weissman, longtime artist, lawyer, and activist, died peacefully on April 11, 2025. She is predeceased by her husband Saul Aaron Weissman, her second husband, Bernard Burton and her grandson Jeffrey Weissman. Daughter of Julius Nathan Cohen and Cherrie Louise Cohen, Janis was born in Staten Island on June 11, 1931. She attended Wagner High School in the Grymes Hill area. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University in 1952 and later earned her law degree from St. Johns University in 1979. She has studied with many prominent artists and was a member of the Nassau County and Long Island Art League. Janis was a prolific artist and could always be found with a sketchbook in hand. Her artwork has been shown all over Long Island and is in many private collections. At the time of the women's movement, she fought for women's rights, pro choice and went back to law school in her 40's to obtain the skills to help those in need. She clerked for Judge Saks, Bronx Civil Court, practiced family law privately before working for the Long Island Advocacy Center representing developmentally disabled students. She was a member of the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations, New York State Bar Association's Committee on Mental and Physical Disabilities and Education Law Committee. In her later years she did pro bono work for the Landlord Tenant Project and the Education and Disability Rights Unit and was recognized for her work in 2017 by the Suffolk County Bar Association. In addition to Art and Law, Janis was an avid reader and skier. Janis raised her family along with Sonny (Saul) in Roslyn Heights and was very active in the local community there. She lived there for 62 years before moving to Floral Park. Janis was a dedicated and beloved mother and grandmother who relished time with her family and adored her grandchildren. Janis was beloved by her children Richard P. Weissman (Tricia Horst), Nancy J. Weissman and Carol S. Wolfe (Lawrence Wolfe) and her grandchildren Connor B. Wolfe (Kayla Wolfe), Sarah A. Wolfe (Janez Koprevic) and Jeremy P. Wolfe and her step-children Vivian Burton (Bill Eldridge), Monica Burton and Mimi Burton (Michael Zuckman) and step-grandchildren Rachel, Nicole, Daniel, Jake and David and step great-grandchild Rose. Donations in her memory can be made to the Planned Parenthood of New York.