June 6, 1940 – August 18, 2026
Ethel Shuster, 86, passed away in Boynton Beach, Florida. Born on June 6, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York, to Ida and Sol Pitkowitz, Ethel was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved her family beyond measure, and they were always at the very center of her life.
She is survived by her daughter Elayne Levine, son-in-law Larry Levine, and cherished grandsons Scott and Matthew Levine. She also leaves behind her many dear cousins from all over the US and Canada including Eddie Baker, Sylvia Butler, Marilyn Kent, Susie Pitt, the Wurmans, the Grubman\Rubens and their families - all of whom she adored.
Ethel was predeceased by her cherished daughter Stephanie Shuster and her beloved husband Theodore "Ted" Shuster.
After moving to Matawan, New Jersey, in 1968, Ethel never gave up on her dream of earning a college education. While raising her two daughters, she attended night school, eventually graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in English Literature and later earning a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She went on to teach in the Old Bridge school system before embarking on an entirely new chapter in her life, launching the very successful travel agency 'Travel Partners' with three incredible women who became not only her business partners, but lifelong friends.
Travel became one of Ethel’s great passions, taking her and Ted on adventures around the world. Throughout her life, she was an extraordinary example to her two daughters of what a woman could accomplish through determination, hard work, and the courage to follow her dreams.
Ethel was also a deeply loyal friend, with friendships that spanned more than 50 years. She spoke fluent Yiddish and even taught Yiddish classes. She loved opera and the arts, was devoted to The New York Times crossword puzzle, loved playing games - and was fiercely competitive. And she could never pass up a good lemon meringue pie, or any sweet for that matter.
Above all, Ethel loved deeply. She treasured her family, her friends, and the life she built, and she will be profoundly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Funeral services will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026 at Bloomfield-Cooper, 44 Wilson Avenue (Route 527), Manalapan, New Jersey. Friends and extended family should arrive between 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. for the 11:00 a.m. funeral service to pay their respects to the family before the service begins.
Interment will follow at Mount Moriah Cemetery, 685 Fairview Avenue, Fairview, New Jersey.
Donations in Ethel’s memory may be made to Temple Beth Ahm, c/o the Stephanie Shuster Fund, 550 Lloyd Road, Aberdeen, NJ 07747.
Shiva will be held at the home of Elayne and Larry Levine, 106 Michael Lane, Manalapan, NJ, on Friday directly following interment, and on Sunday and Monday from 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
