Ethel Sanders

Ethel Selma (Ginsburg) Sanders, age 88, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at the Allen Hospital from complications related to Covid-19. Prior to her stay at the hospital, Ethel had been a resident at The Hebrew Home of Riverdale beginning in January of 2015.

Ethel was born on June 12, 1931, in New York City, to Mollie (Kaplan) Ginsburg and Hyman Ginsburg, of New Rochelle, NY. Ethel was Mollie and Hyman’s only child and they lavished Ethel with adoring attention; Ethel was known for her Shirley Temple-like “banana curls,” bubbly personality, and playfulness. At age eight, Ethel and her parents moved to Larchmont, NY, where she would reside until shortly after marrying her now late-husband, Joseph B. Sanders, on August 9, 1968.

Ethel was a graduate of the Drama department at Syracuse University and received her Masters in Speech from NYU in 1954. She taught English, Public Speaking, and ran the Drama department at New Rochelle High School. As a schoolteacher, Ethel took advantage of her unencumbered summer vacations, and even took a year-long sabbatical, to travel the world. Her favorite country to visit was Greece, but she also road tripped with girlfriends around the US and over the border to Mexico in her beloved green Mustang convertible.

In 1968, Ethel and her new husband Joe moved to Armonk, NY, where she eventually became a Teacher’s Aide at Byram Hills’s Wampus and Coman Hill elementary schools. There, she was admired by students and teachers alike for her warmth, creativity, and effervescence. Ethel frequently pointed out that she did not miss staying up late to grade H.S. English papers! While living in Armonk, Ethel also served as Director of the town’s summer camp for preschoolers, performed regularly in local theater, and tutored. Having taught thousands of students in Armonk, she could not walk down Main Street without a flock of youngsters (and often, their parents) running up to her for a hug.

Drama was Ethel’s lifelong passion. She trained in New York City under Bill Hickey at HB Studios and relished performing character roles to shining reviews on stage well into her 70s. When asked why she didn’t pursue Broadway, she said she was afraid if she made money from acting, it wouldn’t be the same. When Ethel was not working, or performing, she could be found puttering around her yard with her dog, sitting at the kitchen table working on lyrics to children’s songs and poetry, or eating strawberry ice cream.

Ethel is survived by her daughter Michelle (Sanders) Borress, son-in-law Gary Borress, grandsons Brandon and Mason Borress, and by her stepdaughter and step-son-in-law, Ellen Benjamin and Fred Bates.

Ethel will be buried this Tuesday, April 28th, at 1:30PM, alongside her late husband, parents, and grandparents, at the family plot in Greenwich, CT. Michelle and Gary will attend, with the family rabbi, Rabbi Douglas Krantz, officiating virtually, from the safety of his home.

A festive and family-friendly “Celebration of Life” party will be planned for a later date when it is safe again to gather. We hope that all those reading this who are able will come to that to share memories of Ethel Sanders, a special woman who touched so many lives, taught so many lessons, and lived her best life even to the end, in spite of limitations. Her love and light go on through us all. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Family and friends may also honor Ethel through a charitable contribution. The family intends to include causes, such as, Alzheimer’s research and nonprofit theater companies in suggestions, with details to be provided before the “Celebration of Life” party.

Please take a moment to share a comment or perhaps your own memories about Ethel using the below link.