Nancy Ellen Plotkin

Nancy Plotkin Obituary

Nancy Ellen Plotkin, daughter of the late Lynette and Benjamin Kaufman, and sister to Robert Kaufman, was born in Mamaronek, NY on April 15, 1941. She died peacefully on May 26, 2020 with her son, Marc Plotkin, holding one hand, and daughter Cindy Moreland holding the other. Her husband, Gary Plotkin, had his hands gently on either side of her face. As she took her last breath, she leaned up and looked at him as if to grab one last kiss goodbye. Shadow, her devoted Border Terrier, lay at her feet. After an arduous journey with Posterior Cortical Atrophy (a rare form of Alzheimer's), our angel is finally at peace. She is also survived by her "in Loves" K.C. Kaufman, Chip Moreland and Krista Plotkin, and her grandchildren Jette, Perry, Rockwell and Maverick.

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Published by Los Angeles Times on Jun. 2, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Nancy Plotkin

4 Entries

Nancy Shapiro

January 7, 2021

I will never forget Nancy and how fun she was, always filled with smiles and laughter. She called me her "namesake" simply because we have the same first name. We worked together in various real estate offices many times. My heart goes out to her family. Love you Nancy. Love, Nancy

Cindy Moreland (Alexander)

June 8, 2020

Here is the longer obituary for our beloved mother:
NANCY ELLEN PLOTKIN
(April 15,1941- May 26, 2020)

Nancy Ellen Plotkin, daughter of the late Lynette and Benjamin Kaufman, and sister to Robert Kaufman, was born in Mamaronek, NY on April 15, 1941. She died peacefully on May 26, 2020 with her son, Marc Plotkin, holding one hand, and daughter Cindy Moreland holding the other. Her husband, Gary Plotkin, had his hands gently on either side of her face. As she took her last breath, she leaned up and looked at him as if to grab one last kiss goodbye. Shadow, her devoted border terrier, lay at her feet. After an incredibly arduous journey with Posterior Cortical Atrophy (a rare form of Alzheimer's), our angel is finally at peace.

Nancy was an adoring and devoted wife. Her love affair with Gary was based upon the quote inscribed in their wedding rings: More than yesterday They met in Palm Springs on a blind date and were married four months later. They traveled the world, raised two children and cared for countless pets.

There was no better mother than Nancy Plotkin. She always told us Just be yourself. Do what makes you happy and I will support you. She taught us the Golden Rule and instilled the idea to leave this world a better place for having been here she certainly did. She was beloved by her grandchildren, Jette & Perry Moreland and Rockwell and Maverick Plotkin. We only wish they had more time with her. She referred to her in laws as in Loves and loved K.C. Kaufman, Chip Moreland and Krista Plotkin as her own flesh and blood.

Nancy Plotkin was a true friend to so many. Even in her last days, she reached out to say thank you and goodbye.

Raised in Tucson, the Kaufman family eventually moved to Beverly Hills. Nancy went to Westlake School for Girls and tried her best to get kicked out. But rather than expulsion, Nancy got her way more amicably. She transferred and graduated from Beverly Hills High School. She then went to college at Berkley, but did her final semesters and graduated from USC.

After college, Nancy taught elementary school at Mar Vista in Los Angeles. She took time off to raise her children, volunteer at their schools, be Team Mom for Marcs various sports teams, lead Cindys Brownie troop, and help out back stage during school theater productions. When the kids were old enough, she went back to work, utilizing her talents and experience to teach contracts and real estate as a trainer, legal liaison and salesperson for various companies including Jon Douglas, Coldwell Banker and Gibson International. On the side, Nancy was the first to help anyone train a pet (her business card said Dog Gone Good).

Nancy was as passionate about animals and her pets as she was about her human children, evidenced by commissioned portraits of her border terrier and labrador retrievers that adorned the hearth. Before back surgeries, her favorite spot was on horseback. The family spent many summers horseback riding in her favorite place, Peaceful Valley, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Her license plate was ANIMULZ. She had more stuffed and ceramic animals than a Hallmark store.

On her last day on earth, her loving big brother, Robert Kaufman, read aloud to her from her self penned book, Pockets Full of Love. The book is written in the voice of her dearest pet, Pockets the border terrier. Pockets final declaration is this: I guess the real lesson I have learned from my lifes experience is that there is always room in ones heart for another being, dog or person. We just have to give each one a chance and get to know them. Every living being has something special about them. We just have to make the effort to find it. Im glad I have found so many special friends in my life. Are you as lucky as I am? I hope so. This was the essence of Nancy Plotkin. Her heart was open to any and all living creature, and her love was unconditional.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a future date.