1935
Nancy
2017
Nancy P 'Petke' Silverstein
June 3, 1935 — July 29, 2017
On July 29, 2017, Nancy Ann (Petke) Silverstein, 82, beloved wife of Morris Silverstein, of Bolton and beloved mother of daughters Amy Silverstein Kawahata of Wayland, MA, and Jill Swearingen of Bethel, CT, passed away with her family by her side at Brigham & Women's Hospital, the medical facility associated with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer.
Born and raised in Manchester, CT, the daughter of the late Minnie (Bronke) and Albert S. Petke, Nancy graduated from Manchester High School in 1953. She studied psychology at Colby Junior College where she earned her A.A. degree in 1955, and at Boston University where she obtained her B.A. degree in 1957.
A woman of diverse careers, she started at Hartford's G. Fox & Co. department store where she ultimately became the clothing buyer and head of the Specialty Shop. She then became a stay-at-home mom, as well as a substitute teacher at Bolton High School. She pursued her entrepreneurial interests by joining a close friend in her children's clothing company called Wearable Art and spent her last 18 years as a real estate agent for D.W. Fish Realty Co.
As a 57 year resident of Bolton, she was also active in civic matters, serving as a member of the Town Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Assessment Appeals, Library Board, and Republican Town Committee. She also served as the moderator and in other official capacities for numerous town elections and referendums. She was honored to be chosen on behalf of the U.S. State Department to be an elections observer in Albania and Macedonia.
She enjoyed the ocean and seashore, whether it was eating lobster on the dock at Abbott's in Noank, CT or the beaches in Misquamicut, Rhode Island and Goose Rocks/Kennebunkport, Maine, and the times spent with special friends and family. She loved to travel and sightsee with her family, visiting the national parks in the western U.S. and exploring Europe with her daughters and friends. For many years she enjoyed skiing at Stratton Mountain, VT. She was a Red Sox fan and an avid bridge player and loved flowers. An excellent cook and homemaker, she took great pride in and loved cooking and good food. Her family meant the world to her.
In September, Nancy and Morris would have celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother David F. Petke. In addition to her husband and daughters, she leaves sons-in-law Nori Kawahata and Marcus Swearingen, grandchildren Owen and Theo Kawahata and Erin and Tori Swearingen, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
There will be calling hours at Watkins Funeral Home, 142 East Center Street, Manchester, on Sunday, August 6, 2017 from 2-5pm. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 7, 2017 at 12:30pm at Zion Lutheran Church, 120 Cooper Street, Manchester. Memorial contributions may be made in Nancy's honor to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via www.dana-farber.org/gift
Visitation DetailsSunday, August 6th, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm, Watkins Funeral Home
Service DetailsMonday, August 7th, 2017 12:30pm, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
Interment DetailsEast Cemetery
Born and raised in Manchester, CT, the daughter of the late Minnie (Bronke) and Albert S. Petke, Nancy graduated from Manchester High School in 1953. She studied psychology at Colby Junior College where she earned her A.A. degree in 1955, and at Boston University where she obtained her B.A. degree in 1957.
A woman of diverse careers, she started at Hartford's G. Fox & Co. department store where she ultimately became the clothing buyer and head of the Specialty Shop. She then became a stay-at-home mom, as well as a substitute teacher at Bolton High School. She pursued her entrepreneurial interests by joining a close friend in her children's clothing company called Wearable Art and spent her last 18 years as a real estate agent for D.W. Fish Realty Co.
As a 57 year resident of Bolton, she was also active in civic matters, serving as a member of the Town Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Assessment Appeals, Library Board, and Republican Town Committee. She also served as the moderator and in other official capacities for numerous town elections and referendums. She was honored to be chosen on behalf of the U.S. State Department to be an elections observer in Albania and Macedonia.
She enjoyed the ocean and seashore, whether it was eating lobster on the dock at Abbott's in Noank, CT or the beaches in Misquamicut, Rhode Island and Goose Rocks/Kennebunkport, Maine, and the times spent with special friends and family. She loved to travel and sightsee with her family, visiting the national parks in the western U.S. and exploring Europe with her daughters and friends. For many years she enjoyed skiing at Stratton Mountain, VT. She was a Red Sox fan and an avid bridge player and loved flowers. An excellent cook and homemaker, she took great pride in and loved cooking and good food. Her family meant the world to her.
In September, Nancy and Morris would have celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother David F. Petke. In addition to her husband and daughters, she leaves sons-in-law Nori Kawahata and Marcus Swearingen, grandchildren Owen and Theo Kawahata and Erin and Tori Swearingen, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
There will be calling hours at Watkins Funeral Home, 142 East Center Street, Manchester, on Sunday, August 6, 2017 from 2-5pm. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 7, 2017 at 12:30pm at Zion Lutheran Church, 120 Cooper Street, Manchester. Memorial contributions may be made in Nancy's honor to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via www.dana-farber.org/gift
Visitation DetailsSunday, August 6th, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm, Watkins Funeral Home
Service DetailsMonday, August 7th, 2017 12:30pm, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
Interment DetailsEast Cemetery
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Nancy P 'Petke' Silverstein, please visit our flower store.
Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors