Elaine Weinstein Spevak

1930-2024

Elaine Weinstein Spevak passed away in Jacksonville on September 5, 2024. She was 94 years of age.

Elaine was born on the 2nd of January 1930 in Macon, Georgia. She was a 1951 graduate of the University of Georgia with a BA in Journalism and a member of Delta Phi Epsilon and Theta Sigma Phi, an honorary journalism fraternity. During her tenure at the University of Georgia, Elaine produced and performed her own radio program on WGAU and was called “The Woman of Song.” One of her original songs entitled, “So Blue”, and performed on her radio program won a University of Georgia school competition for originality and performance.

Upon graduation, Elaine went to Washington, D.C. working for the Office of Price Stabilization as a radio and television writer. While working in Washington, D.C., she went on a blind date with her future husband, Samuel Morris Spevak, who happened to be in the Washington, D.C. area on reserve duty in the Marine Corps. After a whirlwind courtship of four months, Elaine married Sam on September 23, 1951. After their marriage, they moved to Jacksonville. Sam originally built homes throughout Jacksonville and Elaine sold them. Subsequently, Sam moved on to bigger projects building Arlington Shopping Center, Paxon Shopping Center, and Gateway Shopping Center. Sam would manage the centers and Elaine would run the merchants’ associations inclusive of designing the various print advertisements in the Florida Times Union and the Jacksonville Journal. Elaine was a pioneer in the creation of the large shopping center advertisements that are routinely seen in the newspapers and on television around the country. Sam and Elaine were two of the original members of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Elaine also had retail experience including ownership and management of Bell Furniture and Tivoli Gallery.

Elaine was multi-talented. She was an accomplished author producing a travel book entitled, “Discount Travel USA”. She was an accomplished musician and singer with her own radio show and even during her adolescent years, singing for the troops with the USO during World War II. She was an artist whose paintings and photographs adorn the walls of her home.

Elaine and Sam were very charitable people giving to Jacksonville University, Hadassah, International Council of Jewish Women and the Jacksonville Jewish Center. Their names are inscribed on the wall at the Jacksonville Jewish Center for their work in locating its current site.

Elaine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, mentor and friend to so many. She will be extremely missed. Being with family was Elaine’s top priority. She was also an outstanding mother to four children: Bradley, Bruce, Cheryl and Karen. Elaine considered her responsibility of raising her children as the most important and satisfying of all the responsibilities in her life. She cooked daily meals, ran a house, and made sure the children would get an excellent education. She did all this in addition to her many other accomplishments.

Elaine is survived by her son, Bradley Darryl Spevak and wife, Zoreh of Houston, Texas; son, Robert Bruce Spevak of Jacksonville; daughter, Cheryl Spevak Friedlin of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; grandchildren, Nicole Spevak Katz and husband, Evan of Houston, Texas and Holly Spevak Radom and husband, Steve of Montecito, California; and great grandchildren, Samuel George Katz, Alexandra Esther Katz, Roxana Sophie Katz, Michael Matthew Radom, Robert William Radom, and Ryan Paige Radom.

Elaine was predeceased by her husband, Sam, daughter, Karen Melanie Spevak, her grandchild, Lorien Mark Friedlin, her parents, Max and Reba, her sisters, Bea Marshall and Mildred Korobov, and her brothers, Julius Winston, Jack Winston, and Sydney Winston.

Graveside services will be held at 10:30am on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the New Center Memorial Park at the Gate entrance at 200 E. 43rd Street. Jacksonville, Florida.

To livestream the service, please click the link below.

https://youtube.com/live/HxIqnU3fX38?feature=share