MARTIN BLACKMAN

1928 - 2021

BLACKMAN--Martin, former president of the Skirball Foundation, passed away in his sleep at his home in Palm Beach Sunday night. He was 93 years old. He had suffered from congestive heart failure and other ailments in his final months. Until he was 91 he was going regularly to his office where he managed various business interests. As a trustee of the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, Mr. Blackman oversaw a large expansion of the museum. The Foundation he headed was involved in a diverse array of other philanthropy, including supporting the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. His wife Rena Blackman survives him after over 70 years of marriage, as do his daughter Loren Howley (Paul Brown), sons William A. Blackman and Peter F. Blackman (Jeffrey D. Peterson), two grandchildren, Jacob Howley (Maria Paoletti) and Isaac Howley (Bilqis Rock), and three great grandchildren. Predeceasing Mr. Blackman are his sister Norma Raven and his son-in-law Bill Howley. Mr. Blackman was a corporate lawyer in New York for over 60 years, most recently as of counsel at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy. Prior to joining the Milbank firm, he was a partner at Bergreen & Bergreen. His practice was unusual in its breadth and transnational in scope. He advised a diverse roster of clients on tax, trust, real estate and general corporate law. Mr. Blackman was born in 1928 to David Blackman, who was a garment center contractor, and Esther Fudelowitz Blackman. He grew up in the Bronx. He was the first child born in the Amalgamated Cooperative Apartments, a large cooperative development near Van Cortlandt Park. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton when he was 16, he received a B.S. from N.Y.U. in 1947 and a L.L.B. from Harvard Law School in 1950, where he was an editor on the Law Review. He later received an L.L.M. in tax from NYU. Upon graduating Harvard he was drafted in the army, where he served in the Judge Advocate's General for close to three years. After his discharge he was hired as an associate at the Wall Street law firm known today as Kelley Drye & Warren. Outside of Skirball, Mr. Blackman served on numerous boards, including other non- profits. Among these, he was for many years on the Board of Governors of Ben Gurion University. In addition to his residence in Palm Beach, Mr. Blackman had homes in New York and Westchester. He belonged to the Sunningdale Country Club, the Palm Beach Country Club and the Harmonie Club. Mr. Blackman's funeral will take place at the Frank Campbell Funeral Home at 1076 Madison Avenue on Wednesday, April 28, at 10:30am. The family will receive visitors at his apartment at 700 Park Avenue on Wednesday between 7 and 9pm and Thursday between 2 and 5pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in memory of Mr. Blackman be made to the Skirball Cultural Center or of American Associates of Ben Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU).