When I first came to Hastings in fourth grade, I had to adjust to a new school, had to leave all my friends behind, and I was so painfully shy that I didn't know how to make new ones. Elaine was so nice to me and tried to include me in activities every day at recess so I wouldn't be by myself. Even at the age of 9, she was kind and caring about the "new kid" and I've never forgotten her for it. When I first found her on Facebook, I reminded her of how much that meant to me. She didn't remember it, but I sure did. So terribly sorry to hear of her passing. The world has lost a wonderful person.
Very sorry to hear Tuesday (Aug. 9) that Elaine died. We knew she had been dealing with cancer for a long time, and that she got ahead of it for long, happy stretches. She remained upbeat and optimistic on Facebook, celebrating being alive and always happy to hear from her friends. That seemed to be a very large club... but wasn't it always?
Elaine and I go back to kindergarten in Hastings-on-Hudson, Mrs.
Ricer’s class
We re-connected on Facebook a few years ago and have had lots of fun there, even though she’s been in northern CA and I’ve been in RI
One recent night of chatting on Facebook, we went through a list of teachers we had in elementary school and they were mostly all the same. We particularly remembered the 5th grade play of Cinderella, which was written to some Mozart tunes by Mr. Pratt. I think we were both in the chorus. In our chat, I supplied the first line of the chorus, “Lives there a man so ancient…” Elaine supplied the second line, then I the third etc. We went on for several minutes and both ended up laughing. Good memories for 50 years. Anyone else remember the songs? There were 2 or 3 classes involved. Who were the main characters? I think I remember but I’m not sure. We performed in the old auditorium in the attic of the elementary wing
Elaine liked to play games. In high school, she and I sat together in the back of Mr. Pressley’s chemistry class for a while and she taught me to play Hangman. I guess we were good enough in other ways that I don’t recall Mr. Pressley reprimanding us for giggling. In recent years, we’ve been playing Words with Friends online. We had games going while she was in Hospice until the week before she died.
Our senior year, we became co-editors of the Buzzer. When the first issue came out, Elaine and I and the editorial staff (you remember if you were there) and our advisor, new to the school, were suddenly called right out of first period class to Dr. Ross’s office to face a fuming Coach Bub. He was upset because of a satirical article about gym class we published to fill up space, which had actually been written by a senior who graduated the year before. I recall a line about being made to climb a rope that was attached to the ceiling by a thumbtack. “What will the parents think when they see that!” said angry Coach Bub. We calmed him down by promising to publish an apology in the very next issue. Later in the day, I actually had gym class. Dressed in our uniforms, all boys from 2 or 3 classes, we were lined up in a long row facing Coach Costello. He said “All right, anyone who agrees with today’s article in the Buzzer, take one step forward” …..The entire class stepped forward. Whew!
We heard within a few days that our advisor had resigned. He was replaced by Mrs. LIeneck, a strong willed teacher who was good at dealing with crises. A couple of months later, we were told by the printer we had used for years that they would no longer print the Buzzers for us. So Elaine and I took on the challenge of finding a new publisher. It took a while, but we got through it in good spirits.
Elaine was a little bit older than the rest of us, birthday in February. So she was one of the first to get her driver’s license. She had access to a car and was generous about giving rides. I remember group trips to and from parties and movies. We were not yet old enough to drink, even in NY. Although our trips were full of laughter and sometimes silliness, they were always sober.
Elaine and I weren’t in touch much until our recent chats on Facebook. She had a wonderful gift for facing any difficulty with a cheerful, positive attitude. She had been dealing with cancer and therapy for several years now, always staying on the bright side, an inspiration for her many friends in CA. In the past 2 years, I have reached end stage kidney disease. With our chats online, we have cheered each other on as we have each faced new medical procedures. I never heard a negative peep out of her, even near the end. I miss her, but I realize how fortunate I am to have had such a good friend for 63 years.
I have never been on Facebook or other social network sites (figured I did not want to barge into my children's worlds), and am out of touch up here in the North. I have just joined this wonderful website, and I have just learned that Elaine is gone. I am still trying to process it. I have read all the fine comments here. I, too, was with Elaine in Miss Ricer's Kindergarten class. I do not have many memories of her until 8th Grade, when I must have wakened up to how beautiful she was in so many ways. In Miss Jones' 9th Grade English class, we sat next to each other and Elaine would laugh with me when I made a funny comment or drew a silly cartoon and passed it across to her. I asked her on a date and she accepted, and things developed from there. We dated steadily through ninth grade and after I came back from spending the summer of '63 at my uncle's school in London, UK and was in a different school in Tarrytown we continued to see each other. After the summer of '64 I got in trouble with my own mother when, on return from working in Lake George, I stopped off to see Elaine before heading home. I remember Elaine's soft voice and beautiful dark eyes, and how she laughed. Elaine had a quiet, subtle sense of humour that enabled her to see the funny in the strange, and the ludicrous in the pomp. We stopped dating some time in Junior year, and I lost touch with her.
Ed McKernan
Rest in peace Elaine, you will be missed by many.
Gail Wright
I am so,sorry to hear of Elaine's passing. Peace to her family and friends...she will be missed.
(Susan) Leah Linzer (Shaver)
Dear Elaine, I remember you as a dear friend and classmate. A sweet person. You have moved on but our connection continues through love.
Diana Strayer (Sample)
When I first came to Hastings in fourth grade, I had to adjust to a new school, had to leave all my friends behind, and I was so painfully shy that I didn't know how to make new ones. Elaine was so nice to me and tried to include me in activities every day at recess so I wouldn't be by myself. Even at the age of 9, she was kind and caring about the "new kid" and I've never forgotten her for it. When I first found her on Facebook, I reminded her of how much that meant to me. She didn't remember it, but I sure did. So terribly sorry to hear of her passing. The world has lost a wonderful person.
Neil Martin
Very sorry to hear Tuesday (Aug. 9) that Elaine died. We knew she had been dealing with cancer for a long time, and that she got ahead of it for long, happy stretches. She remained upbeat and optimistic on Facebook, celebrating being alive and always happy to hear from her friends. That seemed to be a very large club... but wasn't it always?
Dorothy DeMichele
So sorry to hear the news of Elaine's passing. Such a lovely person. I hope the suffering was minimal.
Robert Rainwater
Elaine and I go back to kindergarten in Hastings-on-Hudson, Mrs.
Ricer’s class
We re-connected on Facebook a few years ago and have had lots of fun there, even though she’s been in northern CA and I’ve been in RI
One recent night of chatting on Facebook, we went through a list of teachers we had in elementary school and they were mostly all the same. We particularly remembered the 5th grade play of Cinderella, which was written to some Mozart tunes by Mr. Pratt. I think we were both in the chorus. In our chat, I supplied the first line of the chorus, “Lives there a man so ancient…” Elaine supplied the second line, then I the third etc. We went on for several minutes and both ended up laughing. Good memories for 50 years. Anyone else remember the songs? There were 2 or 3 classes involved. Who were the main characters? I think I remember but I’m not sure. We performed in the old auditorium in the attic of the elementary wing
Elaine liked to play games. In high school, she and I sat together in the back of Mr. Pressley’s chemistry class for a while and she taught me to play Hangman. I guess we were good enough in other ways that I don’t recall Mr. Pressley reprimanding us for giggling. In recent years, we’ve been playing Words with Friends online. We had games going while she was in Hospice until the week before she died.
Our senior year, we became co-editors of the Buzzer. When the first issue came out, Elaine and I and the editorial staff (you remember if you were there) and our advisor, new to the school, were suddenly called right out of first period class to Dr. Ross’s office to face a fuming Coach Bub. He was upset because of a satirical article about gym class we published to fill up space, which had actually been written by a senior who graduated the year before. I recall a line about being made to climb a rope that was attached to the ceiling by a thumbtack. “What will the parents think when they see that!” said angry Coach Bub. We calmed him down by promising to publish an apology in the very next issue. Later in the day, I actually had gym class. Dressed in our uniforms, all boys from 2 or 3 classes, we were lined up in a long row facing Coach Costello. He said “All right, anyone who agrees with today’s article in the Buzzer, take one step forward” …..The entire class stepped forward. Whew!
We heard within a few days that our advisor had resigned. He was replaced by Mrs. LIeneck, a strong willed teacher who was good at dealing with crises. A couple of months later, we were told by the printer we had used for years that they would no longer print the Buzzers for us. So Elaine and I took on the challenge of finding a new publisher. It took a while, but we got through it in good spirits.
Elaine was a little bit older than the rest of us, birthday in February. So she was one of the first to get her driver’s license. She had access to a car and was generous about giving rides. I remember group trips to and from parties and movies. We were not yet old enough to drink, even in NY. Although our trips were full of laughter and sometimes silliness, they were always sober.
Elaine and I weren’t in touch much until our recent chats on Facebook. She had a wonderful gift for facing any difficulty with a cheerful, positive attitude. She had been dealing with cancer and therapy for several years now, always staying on the bright side, an inspiration for her many friends in CA. In the past 2 years, I have reached end stage kidney disease. With our chats online, we have cheered each other on as we have each faced new medical procedures. I never heard a negative peep out of her, even near the end. I miss her, but I realize how fortunate I am to have had such a good friend for 63 years.
Tom Livingston
I have never been on Facebook or other social network sites (figured I did not want to barge into my children's worlds), and am out of touch up here in the North. I have just joined this wonderful website, and I have just learned that Elaine is gone. I am still trying to process it. I have read all the fine comments here. I, too, was with Elaine in Miss Ricer's Kindergarten class. I do not have many memories of her until 8th Grade, when I must have wakened up to how beautiful she was in so many ways. In Miss Jones' 9th Grade English class, we sat next to each other and Elaine would laugh with me when I made a funny comment or drew a silly cartoon and passed it across to her. I asked her on a date and she accepted, and things developed from there. We dated steadily through ninth grade and after I came back from spending the summer of '63 at my uncle's school in London, UK and was in a different school in Tarrytown we continued to see each other. After the summer of '64 I got in trouble with my own mother when, on return from working in Lake George, I stopped off to see Elaine before heading home. I remember Elaine's soft voice and beautiful dark eyes, and how she laughed. Elaine had a quiet, subtle sense of humour that enabled her to see the funny in the strange, and the ludicrous in the pomp. We stopped dating some time in Junior year, and I lost touch with her.
I will never forget her.