Roslyn Silverberg Cooper-Pilkington, 90, died June 6, 2017.
Mrs. Cooper-Pilkington was born in the Bronx, N.Y. Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1941 and then in 1943 settled in Tucson, where her father, Sol Silverberg, founded S. Silverberg and Sons Jewelers.
She studied music at the University of Arizona and was known as a celebrated mezzo-soprano opera singer. She sang in multiple languages to international audiences through appearances on network radio and TV. She was the first to play the role of “Carmen” for the Tucson Opera Company (now Arizona Opera). She was also lauded for her performances of “The Desert Song” and “Song of Norway,” and for her cultural contributions to the revival of Yiddish theatre in Tucson during the 1960s.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Pilkington; and brothers, Herbert and Bernard Silverberg. Survivors include her daughters, Sylvia (Gene) Drew and Marilyn Goodrich, both of Tucson; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held at East Lawn Palms Cemetery, with Rabbi Robert Eisen of Congregation Anshei Israel officiating.
