By CLAYTON PARK

Nancy Harris, co-owner of Duet Gift & Miniatures in Wedgwood, unexpectedly passed away on July 5, a few days after undergoing what was thought to be a simple surgery. She was 64.

Eve Anthony teamed up with Harris to open Duet in October 1997, after the Sand Point area giftshop they both worked at, called Mr. Peeper's, went out of business.

"I was the custom builder of dollhouse miniatures at Mr. Peeper's," said Anthony, who decided after the shop closed that she wanted to start her own business.

Harris was a part-time salesperson who had worked at Mr. Peeper's for four years following her retirement as dean of a seminary in Seattle.

"I said let's open a place together and she said OK," recalled Anthony.

Harris had been an avid collector of miniatures for more than two decades, said Anthony, adding that Harris would occasionally hand-paint her own miniature figurines.

A shelf at Duet still displays several miniature 1-inch-tall Santa Claus figurines that Harris hand-painted as well as some tiny doll furniture that Harris decorated in decoupage - collages made of cut paper that has been treated and varnished to create the illusion of depth. "It sinks the collage below the surface," explained Anthony.

A year and a half ago, doctors discovered a benign tumor in Harris' brain. When she began experiencing vision difficulties earlier this year, her doctors decided they should remove the tumor.

"She had a stroke and died a few days later," said Anthony, who added that "her death was unexpected. They (the doctors) thought it was going to be a simple operation."

Harris lived only a couple blocks away from their shop, located at 7339 35th Ave. NE. "She really enjoyed her garden," said Anthony. "She was also crazy about cats."

Anthony described Harris as a "witty kind of person" who displayed a dry sense of humor. "She could also be very meticulous about organizing things," Anthony added.

Harris is survived by a cousin who lives in Burien and a cousin who lives in Nevada.

Anthony plans to continue the business she started with Harris, but plans to change the name of the shop to Tiny Violet.