Elise Pauline Albanese

Elise Pauline Albanese, born Elise Lippincott, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at The Elms-Parkside Memory Care facility of Abbotswood at Irving Park, Greensboro, North Carolina. Elise was born on October 1, 1938, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to the late John and Alice Lippincott. In addition to her parents, she was pre-deceased by her husband, Joseph “Joe” J. Albanese, brother John “Jack” Lippincott, son James Michael Albanese, son-in-law Jerry W. Johnson, father- and mother-in-law Jerome and Rose Albanese, brother- and sister-in-law Charles and Madeline Albanese, and aunt, Natalie Foster. During the 1960’s and ‘70’s, Elise and her family were long-time members of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Greensboro and, prior to returning to Greensboro, Elise and Joe were active members at parishes in Atlanta, Georgia, Wilmington, Delaware, and Wilmington, North Carolina.

Elise is survived by her: children, Laura Johnson, Jerry Albanese, John Albanese, and Tom Albanese (Marianne); grandchildren, Matt Johnson (Bambi), Marisa Albanese, and Marla and Hannah Albanese; and great-grandson, Lucas Johnson. Elise also leaves behind her brother- and sister-in-law, Michael and Claire Albanese, many nephews and nieces, cousins, extended family, and dear friends. Elise’s family and friends were very special to her, and she shared her nurturing spirit and love with each and every one.

Elise grew up in Elizabeth with her family, where she was educated through high school. After high school, she enrolled in college at Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. Elise met Joe after his graduation from Northeastern University, and they were married in September, 1958. She moved with Joe to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he served active duty in the U.S. Army. They resided in Virginia for a couple of years, during which time they began their family. After Joe transitioned into a civilian career working for Texaco, they began moving together to Baltimore, Maryland, New Bern and then Greensboro, North Carolina, metro-Atlanta, and Wilmington, Delaware before retiring in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Most of this period, Elise worked what most would consider more than a full-time job raising five young children at home while Joe traveled for his job and Army Reserve duties. She was a natural mother and was very devoted to her children. Perhaps out of necessity, or sheer will, she became an outstanding cook, preparing home-cooked meals from scratch every day. In this regard, she was very adventurous, trying any and all types of recipes that she found in cookbooks, handed-down recipes, or magazines.

She loved and supported her children in their studies and on various school projects through the years. She was also the family’s car-pooler extraordinaire, shuttling Laura to various school-spirit functions and her sons to soccer and swimming, balancing team practices for each of us at differing times and in different places. She continued her dedication to family when spending time with her grandchildren and great grandson. The adventures were many.

Through the years, she took on many hobbies. She loved to garden and also engaged in many artistic endeavors. She sewed, cross-stitched, needlepointed, knitted, crocheted, painted, fired ceramics, decoupaged, and arranged flowers. She also loved to go antiquing, trying to find yet another collectable to go with her ever-growing collections. She loved blue glass and decorative iron trivets.

Within the Catholic Church, Elise was very involved with the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, particularly during the 20 years in which she and Joe lived in Greensboro. Through the Ladies Auxiliary, she was active in a committee group responsible for the alter floral arrangements at Our Lady of Grace Church. She also participated in many fund-raising events for Our Lady of Grace. In recent years, she and Joe were a part of the Welcome Committee for All Saints Catholic Church, in Hampstead, North Carolina.

Prior to moving back to Greensboro, Elise retired with Joe to Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was involved in various bunko, bridge, and book clubs, and she even took up golf in her sixties. While she may not have had the power drive that Joe had, she would sometimes score better than him due to her great finesse around and on the greens. She really took to the sport and loved her Nine-Holers group. Another interest of Elise was her love to travel. Elise’s travel adventures began with her father, mother, and brother, which led to many future trips and adventures with her own growing family (imagine 7 people in a camper!). Experiencing the travel bug early led to loads of fun travel junkets with Joe and friends to Hong Kong and Macau, Italy several times (including Sicily), Germany, Ireland and Scotland, Mexico, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Alaska, and numerous other places across the United States. She truly enjoyed spending quality time with her family both on trips and at home. When at home, she loved to read. She also loved feeding the fish in their koi pond, even going so far as to name all of them.

Elise’s family graciously acknowledges the wonderful care provided to Elise during her three years residing at The Elms–Parkside Memory Care facility of Abbotswood at Irving Park, and the brief care she received from AuthoraCare Collective Hospice in Greensboro.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Elise P. Albanese to:

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund

34 Washington Street, Suite 310

Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

curealz.org/giving/donate

OR;

American Cancer Society,

Attn: Relay For Life of the Triad

Presented by Cone Health – UC7Y3Q

P.O. Box 11796

Charlotte, NC 28220

https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=109933&pg=personal&px=40075902

A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 2203 West Market Street, Greensboro, NC, 27403, at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 28, 2024. An interment of the urns for Elise and her husband, Joe, will be held at Salisbury National Cemetery, 202 Government Road, Salisbury, NC 28144, at 11:45 am on Monday, September 30, 2024.

You are welcomed to leave online condolences to the family, here, in the guestbook.