Elaine (Helen) Gangloff passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in Blowing Rock, NC on 5 February 2024. She was born in New York City on 5 December 1944 to Russian immigrants, Liuba and Walter Grechen. Shortly after Elaine's birth the family moved to Amityville on New York's Long Island. The Friendly Bay Village was her home for 70 years until she and husband Frank pulled up stakes to be closer to their grandchildren in Boone, NC.

Elaine attended Amityville High School and Hofstra University where she earned a Bachelor's in education. For 30+ years Elaine taught elementary and middle school classes in the Amityville School District. She lived for her students and alums will remember her amazing class trips (Museum of Natural History, Coney Island Aquarium) and homegrown productions of The Wizard of Oz, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and other musicals in which she simultaneously directed the production, made the costumes and played the piano while providing narration.

Elaine was an energetic soul, living every day of her 79 years to its fullest. She was an accomplished seamstress, painter, knitter, cook, gardener and swineherd. Elaine had a unique appreciation for pigs and their proletarian glory. She accumulated an amazing collection of swine ephemera and also cared for two pigs in her life. It was mom's unusual domestic partnership with a 250+ pound Potbelly pig, Jane, that defined the 1990s and early 2000s for the Gangloff family and anyone fortunate enough to visit their home on Union Avenue.

Frank and Elaine shared a love of the beach and bay. They raised their children swimming, boating, and fishing, instilling a love for the natural world that inspired their son to become an aquatic entomologist and their daughter to be a painter. The Gangloffs traversed Long Island in a van filled with dogs, tubas and antiques as they ferried between yard sales, antique store ventures and Frank's band performances.

Elaine loved parties and holidays. She was never phased by the chaotic arrival of large groups of exchange students, random relatives or indie-bands at the house and no matter the time of day or night, a soiree was always just around the corner. Elaine especially loved Halloween when she would make elaborate costumes for herself and her family. She delighted, confused, and frightened her students, showing up to class as a vampire or as a very convincing "Mr. Gangloff" in a suit, tie and mustache. Christmas was another favorite holiday when Elaine pulled out all of the stops. It was not uncommon for there to be multiple trees in the house with every room transformed into a holiday wonderland. She lavished gifts upon everyone in the family, but children (and toys) were her specialty. Elaine is survived by her husband Frank, her son Michael and daughter in law Lynn Siefferman, grandchildren Wade and Asa, daughter Hope Gangloff and son in law Benjamin Degen. Surviving siblings include Katherine Grechen, Alex Grechen and sisters from another mother, Marge Levine and Jill Fischer. Surviving sisters in law include Debbie Gangloff and Donna Anderson. Nieces and nephews include Liubov Grechen-Shirley, Anastasia Grechen, Jimmy Anastos, Mellissa Anastos, Andrew Gangloff Jr., Edward Gangloff, Jeanie Gangloff, Lisa Fackleman, Guy Steward, Phoebe Steward and honorary nephews Fred, Joe and John Bertino, Hans Steiner Jr and honorary niece Heidi Steiner-Weiss.

Elaine's long battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) was a journey that lasted more than 8 years, and while debilitating and ultimately fatal, her diagnosis and care both brought her family together. We are grateful for the amazing resources that were available to us at the Foley Center, the hospice care workers and to all of the wonderful people who helped care for Elaine during her illness. During this time Darlene Watson was her constant companion and the family is eternally grateful for her compassion and friendship. We are also grateful for the visits of our dear friends Connie and Doug Hall and Emily Dakin.

In Lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Suffolk (NY) or Watauga (NC) county humane societies, the Cure PSP foundation (http:// www.psp.org) or your local hospice.

We also suggest that you may best remember Elaine in deed, by engaging in a ruckus of your choosing: attending a peaceful protest, bringing food to your local homeless shelter, picking up roadside or streamside trash or calling attention to hypocrisy in any of its forms.

A celebration of life will be held on Long Island in Summer 2024. The family will provide more details as they develop.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.