Elaine May Christopher

Elaine May Christopher entered Heaven on July 4, 2020 while in the hospital. She died peacefully in her sleep, survived by Daniel J. Christopher her husband of 54 years; two daughters Donna (Jim) DeChant, parents to grandson Christopher and Rose (Thomas) O’Connor, parents of granddaughter Kaelia. She will be reunited with her parents, John Kenosian and Margaret Avery, her brother Robert (Geri) and her beloved sister, Susan.

Elaine enjoyed taking care of others from her childhood in Lynn, Massachusetts. When she married Dan, they moved to Albany, NY and raised their children through elementary school, before moving to Coral Springs, FL. Dan and Elaine enjoyed traveling the USA, visiting Casinos, seeing concerts and theater performances. Their noteworthy experiences included Secretariat’s 1973 Triple Crown win at the Belmont Stakes, dinner with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, many Red Sox games and the 1991 NY Giants Super Bowl win.

While she accomplished much as a small-business owner, a Girl Scout troop leader, a medical receptionist and Small Claims Clerk (Broward County), nothing was as important to her as being Mom and Nana.

Elaine was a Super Mom as shown in her homemade Halloween costumes, elaborate birthday cakes, and the most beautifully decorated gifts for every occasion. She kept a beautiful home, loved to entertain and cooked amazing meals. Our Holidays were filled with happy memories, decorations, and fancy meals with friends and family around the table. When Thomas (1991) and Jim (2013) joined our family, Mom welcomed them with open arms and loved them as her sons.

She gave us a beautiful childhood and then did the same for the grandchildren she loved so dearly. When she was with her “Pher” and “La-La” her smile would overcome her face. She was proud of everything they did, their academic milestones, Christopher’s sports achievements, and Kaelia’s singing and acting successes. She did all the important Nana things: teaching them to pray, bake cookies, appreciate Disney movies, and love other people.

There was never a stranger in our Mother’s path, she turned everyone into a friend with her kindness and pleasant words. Whether at JC Penney, the Fresh Market, or the bank, she would visit with the staff, tell stories, and bless those who came in contact with her. She was a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Coral Springs and enjoyed worship with her Priest and friend, Father Kelly. While so many people rate their life by possessions and achievements, Elaine wanted only to make other people happy. She taught her daughters to lift up others, “You can’t make your candle burn any brighter by blowing out someone else’s.” She taught her grandchildren to be diligent, “Do what you have to do, before you do what you want to do.”

It is impossible to measure her impact on the world or the loss we feel today. Given the realities of 2020, there are no plans for a Memorial at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to goredforwomen.org in her name or find a random way to show kindness to someone today and then look up to let her know, “You inspired me, Elaine.”