S.I. Newhouse, the chairman emeritus of Condé Nast who passed on Oct. 1, was known as a very taciturn boss during his years running the glitzy empire that includes Vogue, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and GQ.

That may be why the main tribute to mark his death was also silent.

On the evening of Oct. 3, the tower spire lights were darkened at the publisher’s current HQ at 1 WTC, as well as its past HQ at 4 Times Square and even at One Bryant Park, where his magazine editors chronicled countless Fashion Week runway shows.

On Oct. 4, thousands of employees inside Condé observed a minute of silence for their fallen leader at 10:30 a.m., which coincided with the start of the private memorial service being held by his family.

Newhouse was 89 and had been battling dementia for the past five years. But for 40 years, he played the behind-the-scenes role that pushed the family-owned Condé to the forefront during the golden era of magazine publishing.