18 DECEMBER 2024 N ancy Silver was a gift to all who knew her, someone you looked forward to being with, lingering in her company while unwrapping the love and laughter of a trusted friendship, reveling in the moment and not wanting it to end. But sadly, those joyous occasions have come to an end, for Nancy passed away in October, and her family and a legion of friends will never be the same. This happens when you lose a larger- than-life personality, someone who gave of themselves without keeping score. She feasted on her friendships and cultivated them with honesty and humor. The place where many of these friendships began and were nurtured was The Paper Place, an Old Town retail store that she and her mother started in October 1978. Soon after, Nancy’s sister Betsy joined them, and 47 years later, the store is a Scottsdale fixture. They don’t have customers; they have a brigade of loyal fans. People would drop in even when they didn’t need anything, just so they could say hello to Nancy and pick up where that last conversation left off. “Nancy was a creative genius and could transform the ordinary into extraordinary. I was the business one, and together it was a perfect partnership. We spent so much time together, we were almost like twins, and very often people would mistake me for Nancy. But I am pretty sure no one ever mistook her for me,” Betsy laughed. She said the outpouring over her sister’s death has been incredible; people are behaving as though they lost a family member, not just a friend. “People have reminisced about how Nancy helped them with their wedding invitations, birth announcements, parties, their kid’s wedding invitations, their grandchildren’s birth announcements,” Betsy said. “We have seen the ‘Circle of Life’ and being involved in these events builds a bond; they have become a part of ‘The Paper Place Family,’” The Silvers grew up in Arcadia and have never left, Nancy affectionately referring to it as the “hood.” Betsy still lives in their childhood home, and it was a place for bringing family and friends together. “Nancy’s hobby was entertaining, and whether it was a family dinner or her famous ‘JewEaster’ celebration, it was always the perfect amount of over-the-top,” she said. Nancy’s love of dogs was unfailing, and The Paper Place always featured a furry mascot, first a Lhasa Apso named Bentley, and then a couple of Basset Hounds, Mr. P and Miss Lacie. She parlayed her zeal/affection for dogs into starting Two Pups Wellness Fund in 2017, a nonprofit organization that provides medical aid to dog families who cannot afford to pay for their pet’s critical care. “Nancy loved everyone, and everyone loved her,” said Jerry Lewkowitz, Nancy’s self-professed uncle. “We weren’t related, but you would never know it. She was a very special person with great style and individuality.” Added Betsy, “My sister’s superpower was being able to create something out of nothing. She saw trends and styles well before others.” Her younger brother, Bob, agrees. “Nancy can be summed up in just three words: creative, creative, creative, and very loving and loyal. That’s more than three but you get the idea, loving, loyal and very creative.” Throughout this holiday season, Nancy Ruth Silver is a gift that will be sorely missed. Nancy Silver Nancy loved everyone, and everyone loved her.