Obituary of Elaine Lipkowitz

Elaine Lipkowitz Ferndale, New York January 13, 1932 - October 13, 2013 Elaine Lipkowitz of Ferndale, NY died on October 13, 2013. She was 81 years old. The daughter of the late Mary Friedman and Frederick Goldhammer, she was born on January 13, 1932 in New York City in the Bronx. She met her future husband Leo while she was vacationing at the Hillside Hotel in Ferndale, which was across the street from the Lipkowitz family farm and bungalows. She made her home in Ferndale after marrying Leo in 1951.   Elaine had a distinguished career spanning almost 30 years in the Liberty School District. She began as a secretary in the main office of Liberty High School. She then completed a degree in education from SUNY Oneonta in 1971 and began teaching special education in the Liberty Elementary School. She subsequently received a Masters Degree in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. Alongside her long-time friend and colleague, Marion Windt, she established the after school program for elementary school children. At the time of her retirement in 1994, she was the Director of Pupil Personnel/Special Education, the Principal of the White Sulphur Springs Elementary School, and in charge of grant submissions to fund special programs. After retiring from the Liberty School system she was an active volunteer for the Auxillary of the Catskill Regional Medical Center and ran many successful fund raisers such as the “Men Who Cook” program. Also, she served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Liberty Museum and Arts Center. She enjoyed reading and visiting with her children and her grandchildren. Elaine and Leo Lipkowitz had a long, loving marriage that lasted until Leo died in November of 2012. Elaine was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She raised two children, Michael and Stanley, who are successful physicians and scientists. Elaine is survived by her sons, her daughter’s-in-law Andrea and Pat; grandchildren Steven, Joanne, Katherine and Sarah; sisters-in-law Phyllis Lipkowitz and Arlene Goldhammer; and her nephews Kenneth, Robert, David, and Bryan. She is predeceased by her parents Mary and Frederick, her brother Edwin, and her husband Leo. Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon on Tuesday, October 15 at the Ahavath Israel Synagogue, 39 Chestnut Street, Liberty, NY. Burial will follow at the Ahavath Israel Synagogue Cemetery, Hysana Road, Liberty, NY. Memorial contributions can be made in Elaine’s name to the Ahavath Israel Synagogue, 39 Chestnut Street, Liberty, NY Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home of Monticello. For further service details, to leave an online condolence, or for directions to the cemetery, please visit www.josephngarlickfuneralhome.com