Dr. Elaine S. Katz

Dr. Elaine S. Katz passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 31, 2023, from cancer. She was 87 years old. Elaine was born in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg and came to the United Stares in 1940, after escaping Nazi Germany and living through the Blitzkrieg in England. Elaine spent her childhood in Virginia, Michigan and Illinois. While attending Northwestern University to earn her B.A., she met the love of her life, George Katz, who was getting his Masters Degree at the time. They were thrown together at a soda fountain hangout at Northwestern in the 1950’s called the Hut, purely by chance, and they were each others’ first loves. George and Elaine married in 1957. George preceded Elaine in death in 2007, a few months before their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

After they were married, Elaine followed George to The University of Alabama where he was a professor, and Elaine received her Masters degree in 1962 and her Ph.D. in 1978. Elaine spent the rest of her life in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Beginning in 1961, Elaine had three children, three years apart.

Elaine taught linguistics, English, humanities and folklore for the University of Alabama for twenty-one years and was loved by her students, who often kept in touch after graduation. Elaine was a published author, writing Folklore for the Time of Your Life for Oxmoor House and was the original author and compiler of The Kentuck Sampler in 1975. Moreover, in the 1970’s, Elaine hosted a television show entitled “Folklorama” for Alabama Public Television, produced by her husband.

Elaine left the University in the 1980’s and became Division Manager of the local Prudential Insurance Office. She retired in the 1990’s. Elaine’s final years were spent raising funds and working tirelessly for the charities that she supported. Over the course of her life, Elaine was giving of her time, money and love. She will be thoroughly missed by her children and grandchildren, as well as her friends and caregivers.

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Caroline Katz Pearlstein, Caroline’s husband, Jonathan Pearlstein, M.D., and their two children, Joshua Pearlstein and Jordan Pearlstein; and by Elaine’s son, Jonathan Katz, Jonathan’s wife, Holly Wilensky Katz, and Jonathan’s son, Zachary Katz. Elaine’s eldest child, Theodore “Teddy” Katz, predeceased Elaine in 2021, and was married to Lisa Fishman Katz. Elaine is also survived by her loyal and dearly-loved caregiver, Tina O’Neal, her best friend.