Elga "Ellie" Spitz

Ellie Spitz (Elga Friedlander at birth) was born in Nuremberg, Germany on Nov. 23, 1932. In 1937, at age 5, she and her parents fled the Nazi regime shortly before it was no longer possible to do so and after years during which the Nuremberg Laws were in effect. They arrived in the Bronx, NY where my grandparents lived for the rest of their lives.

After HS graduation, Ellie took secretarial courses at Brooklyn College and worked various office jobs, including at summer locales up in the Catskills. In 1956, at age 23, she married Morty Spitz, 8 years older and a WW2 veteran. Twins followed in the same year and soon she was a mother of 4. She and Morty were together 50 yrs, until his death in 2006.

In 1964, the family moved to suburban Plainview, Long Island. She eventually became a proud grandmother of 4 and great-grandmother of 3.

Over many years, Ellie was an inveterate, adventurous and endlessly curious world traveler. Her many tours, treks and cruises were chronicled in more than two dozen numbered photo albums.

She also served as an IDF reservist through almost age 80, spending weekdays in the barracks and weekends with our large Israeli family. She was a brilliant knitter, voracious reader, enthusiastic Mah Jongg player and Jeopardy aficionado. Feisty, independent, and 5’2’, she was intimidated by no one

Survivors include her children: Susan Spitz, Sharon Fagin (Bennett), Dayle Brenner, and Glenn Spitz; Grandchildren: Megan Savage (Max Schwartz), Abbie Pappas (Jeremy), Ava Rubin (Adam), Dylan Brenner; Great-grandchildren: Yoni, Koby, and Zacky Pappas, sister; Lorraine Schwartz, and several dozen nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

A funeral service will be held at the Star of David Memorial Chapel, located at 7701 Bailey Road, North Lauderdale, FL 33068, in the Main Chapel. The service is scheduled for February 1, 2026, at 2:45 pm.

Following the funeral service, a committal service will take place at the Star of David Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Judea B Mausoleum, also located at 7701 Bailey Rd, North Lauderdale, FL 33068. This service is scheduled for February 1, 2026, at 3:15 pm.