Elena was born in Albania and raised in Greece. She and her sister Olga then traveled across the Atlantic in search of new opportunities as teenagers, ready to conquer New York City. Not long after settling, Elena met Otto on the beach in New Jersey and they fell into a love that is unmatched to this day.
Elena’s life can be described in a few words. Firstly, exquisite. Her fashion sense was always on point, she always looked as if she were plucked straight from Fifth Avenue and was headed for a magazine shoot. Her culinary skills presented in this same fashion. Elena was the absolute finest chef, from the simple spanakopita to the most divine pasta dishes one could imagine, she delivered it all with a beautiful smile. Secondly, brilliant. Before Google, there was Elena. She had a relevant story for any question you asked. She was fluent in seven (7!) languages and was a Jeopardy and crossword puzzle wizard. She was enrolled at Columbia University when she was 18 years old. She performed yoga daily long before it was popular. She drank red wine and ate a keto diet before it was cool. She truly was way ahead of her time. Lastly, she was fiercely proud. She was defined by her family. She raised four children, Claudia (Tim), Robbie (Bill), Greg (Monica) and Mark and was the grandmother to Jessie, Kelly, Mark, Chris, Kimberlee, Lyndsay, Brock, Mason, Madison and Devlin, as well as the great grandmother to Sydney, Jorja, Brooklyn, Olivia, Violet, Jack, Brody, Caleb, Asher, Olivia and Audrey. She was proud of her heritage and never shied away from recounting stories of her upbringing, often told in more than one language. Her ultimate pride was her marriage to Otto. She was the perfect wife, always ready to entertain at Otto’s beck and call. She tended to him in his final days as she did throughout his entire life. She taught three generations that followed her, what true love looks and feels like.
In Elena’s final weeks and months, her family was at her side and they were reminded of her tenderness and her motherly love. They fell in love with her again, roles reversed. She passed away peacefully, touching the hearts of the wonderful staff at Granite Landing as she had touched the hearts of all those she met along her journey. She will be sadly missed and forever remembered. We were so lucky to be graced with her, and now she is reunited with Otto in eternity. May the wine flow plentifully, the food be spectacular, the music be loud and look down on us with smiles as you watch your creation live and love life the way you taught us. We love you. In accordance with her wishes, a private family service will be held.
As expressions of sympathy, donations in her memory to the charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family.
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