Sylvie Ayache Pappis, 77, of Cheshire Turnpike in Langdon passed away on Friday, March 8, 2024, at her house. Sylvie was born in Algiers, Algeria, October 1, 1946, the daughter of Maurice and Alfreda Ayache. The family observed Sephardic Judaism, the faith Sylvie continued to follow through her life. She was a long-time resident of Manhattan where she worked as an artist and designer. On October 28, 1988, she married Jean-Pierre Pappis who survives. Other survivors include one son, Erik Erlichson, and one daughter, Vanessa Erlichson Deliz, two brothers, Remy and Robert E. Ayache, three grandchildren, Lukas Erlichson-Deliz, Ethan and Dylan Erlichson, five nieces and nephews, Simone, Maurice, Nicole, Gabriel and Philippe.

Sylvie was a mother, a friend, a sister, an aunt and great aunt, and mostly an inspiration to all that were close to her. Since childhood, she always knew what she wanted and used all her energy and creativity to make her wishes come true. Her first and constant passion was art. At the age of five, she was drawing and painting, winning awards in school. After Algiers, the family moved to Cannes, France when Sylvie was eight. There, she became an avid swimmer and continued to paint. In 1958, the family emigrated to the United States, and settled in Manhattan. Sylvie pursued her art and enjoyed all the museums and culture the city offered. Upon graduation from the Lycée Français (the French high school of New York), she enrolled at the NY Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduation, she started designing clothes which led to opening her store on 54th street which she kept for 30 years. She produced machine-knit specialties, and her unique designs attracted clients and industry buyers. Sylvie was a people person and many of her clients became close friends. In the latter years, she became an accomplished millinery and her hats are worn by women and men across the world. Her creativity led her to add a variety of products to her offerings: baby quilts, stuffed animal toys, dolls.

Sylvie loved trees, the mountains and the northern country, where she annually vacationed with her husband. When time came to leave New York, they settled in New Hampshire in 2022, and Sylvie enjoyed the last years of her life surrounded by trees, the main topic of her art, a dream come true. All along she never stopped painting and drawing, till the last days. Her painted watercolor postcards are collected by many. Sylvie was a gifted woman with a unique eye and skilled hands who created beauty out of simplicity. She struggled with health issues during the last two years of her life but, as always, kept on giving her loved ones all she could. On Sunday March 10 at Sylvie’s home in Langdon her family and friends gathered for a service in her memory, with many connecting remotely from afar. Sylvie made the world around her a better place and will not be forgotten.