By Debbie Wachter
New Castle News
When Judy Silverman was managing the Klafter's-associated gift and catalog store, she always had the latest designer purses and jewelry and Teddy bears that she was excited to show to customers.
There were appliances, gadgets and all types of fashion and household items, many only available from a catalog through Klafter's, a store handed down through Judy's family lineage that today primarily sells cigars, candy and tobacco products.
Through her smart business sense and her sparkling and benevolent personality, Judy, now in her 80s, became well known in social circles and a pillar in her community.
Her involvements and contributions over five decades were what landed her at the Villa Banquet Center last night as the recipient of the Jack Butz Humanitarian Award.
It was because of John R. "Jack" Butz, who died in 2003, that the award program was founded, and he was the first honoree.
Robert McCracken, emcee of the program, remembered Butz as always having giving in his heart. He remembered Butz saying once how he thought it strange, that "the more I give away, the more I receive."
Judy is the 19th person in 19 years to receive the Butz award, dedicated to someone who gives for the betterment of the community and its residents.
McCracken remembered meeting Judy when he first started working at WBZY Radio Station when someone suggested he call on her at Klafter's for an ad. He soon learned that he could never leave her store without buying something, he said.
"Judy was always committed to making New Castle a better place," he said. "She was the prettiest girl in the playground program. Her service to the community goes back forever."
Judy was introduced at the banquet by her husband, Lee, who thanked everyone for being there. He cited her efforts to make the community a better place to live and to get others involved and share in that pride for New Castle.
Judy was born in Jameson Memorial Hospital to AnnaBelle and Morris Storch. She attended Arthur Magill Elementary School, and graduated in 1952 from New Castle High School. She went on to Carnegie Tech College in Pittsburgh, where she met Lee. In her freshman year, she was homecoming queen. She graduated in 1956 at the Syria Mosque in a Pittsburgh, and she and Lee were married that May 27, nearly 63 years ago.
After graduation, they moved to New Kensington for three years, returning to New Castle in the early 1960s. The 1960s,'70s and '80s saw a downtown with hustling, bustling streets filled with businesses, shoppers and people going to work, Lee recalled.
The Silvermans have three sons, Robert, who lives in Tiberias, Israel; Dr. Rick Silverman, a plastic surgeon in Boston; and Randy of Neshannock Township, who works at Klafter's Inc.
Judy, after accepting her award, pointed out that her family has been in New Castle for five generations, "so I am proud of this area. I know it's been through a lot, but so has every place else."
While raising their family, the Silvermans became part of the business community with Klafter's, which according to history compiled by their son, Randy, started when Judy's great-uncle, Sam Klafter, owned a cigar shop in Canton, Ohio in the late 1890s. Sam opened a New Castle store on East Washington Street in January 1911. His nephew, Morris Storch, was Judy’s father who emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the 1920s and went to work for Sam Klafter. Sam Klafter died in 1943, and Storch took over the business.
Judy’s husband, Lee, joined the business in the late 1950s, and when Storch died in 1963, Lee took it over. Judy opened a gift catalog business next door at 114 N. Mill St., where the New Castle Public Library is now.
Klafter's and her store eventually moved to its North Beaver Street location, and Judy's retail business transformed into Bears Wears and Other Collectables, where she sold her eclectic giftware and collectable teddy bears. Her store was in business until the early 2000s.
In earlier years, Judy and Lee had become involved in the community in local theater productions of Damn Yankees. Lee played Joe Hardy and Judy was Lola.
Judy became involved with the now-defunct Temple Israel, her synagogue, and has been active on various committees, often assuming the role and responsibilities of chairman, Lee explained. She was an officer in Council of Jewish Women and was elected president of Temple Israel Sisterhood and went on to serve as president of the Temple.
"She always said that 'when they ran out of men, they finally got smart and started to use the women in the congregation," Lee said. It was during those years that Judy became active in the Rotary Anns, the female branch of the Rotary. Lee was a Rotarian, and Judy formed strong connections with other women in the organization. She and her friend, Deanna Wish, organized musical Rotary shows that were presented locally to raise money for "Camp Lend-A-Hand" and other charitable groups.
When Judy opened her gift store on North Mill Street, she became friends with Jack and Pat Butz. Jack, a local businessman who owned Butz Flowers, cared about the community and it was that caring that attracted Judy to keeping the city vibrant and alive, Lee said.
Judy became involved with in the Greater New Castle Association, which later became the Chamber of Commerce, and she became its secretary. Lee remembered that at the time, Buzz Shiner, owner of Sotus Candy Co. in Union Township, had an old caboose on his property that he used for storage. Judy asked Shiner if the chamber could take over the caboose, and he told her that if she could get it moved, she could have it. Judy contacted Bill Branscome at Conn Engineering, a former schoolmate, and enlisted his help for the move, reminding him that he owed her, as she gave him his first kiss at a "spin the bottle" game years ago. "He told her he could hardly turn her down after that reminder," Lee said, "so that is how the old caboose got on the tracks at the downtown chamber building."
Through Judy's involvement at the chamber of commerce, she became a catalyst in such other programs as tourism, Back to the '50s, the Fireworks Capital of America, New Visions and other local efforts. She also was a member of the on the Lawrence County Industrial Development Authority.
Lee shared a story of getting a phone call one day from a business friend, telling him he saw Judy and Pat Butz dressed in baggy old women's dresses, and they were picking up trash from the downtown streets. Judy was posing as "Aunty Litter," and Pat was her niece, "Kitty Litter." "I'm not sure if it was a message to our local citizens that it is important to keep the city streets clean, or a message to me that she needed some new clothes," Lee quipped. Judy, who took the podium after accepting her award, said she had threatened to wear her "Aunty Litter" outfit last night.
When the Butz Humanitarian Award was created, Judy had been chosen by Jack Butz as a founding member of the humanitarian scholarship dinner committee, having served the community for more than five decades. "Our years in New Castle have been good ones," Lee said. "Judy still cares about the people who live here and what the future for our community will be."
Judy and Lee Silverman, at far right, gather with two of their three sons. At far left is Randy Silverman, and next to him is Rick Silverman. Their brother, Rob Silverman, who was absent, lives in Israel.
Silverman receives
humanitarian award
