Elinor Auslander (“Ellie”) passed away on February 19, 2022, in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, at the age of 90. Ellie was born April 16, 1931, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Rose and Charles Newstadt, and grew up in Shreveport. She studied art at H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College (then the coordinate women's college of Tulane University in New Orleans) and completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Indiana, where she met mathematician Louis (“Lou”) Auslander. They married and moved to New Haven, Princeton, and numerous other university towns across the country, following Lou’s research and teaching jobs—finding fun things to do and delicious food everywhere they went.
After settling in Rye, New York, Ellie received her M.E.D. in English at Marymount College and taught high school in Westport, Connecticut. After about twenty-five years of marriage they divorced, and Ellie relocated to New York City, where she earned her Master’s in Social Work at Hunter College—and then later earned the distinction she was most proud of, her membership in the Contemporary Freudian Society. She used her training to help countless people over many, many years, as a teacher, as a social worker in Harlem for the New York City Board of Education, and as a private therapist.
Ellie loved New York City life—the museums, plays, restaurants, the buzz, the opportunities to act and sing. She also enjoyed traveling, figure skating, cross-country skiing, hiking and biking. She had close friendships and nothing made her happier than talking and laughing with friends. She was full of life and made everyone around her laugh and feel good.
She was proud of her children, Nathan Auslander, formerly married to Roberta Freedberg, Rose Auslander, married to Rick Moore, Hyannis, MA; Dan Auslander, married to Molly McDougald, Pennington, NJ; and she was equally proud of her eight grandchildren. Ellie was preceded in death by her son Nathan. They are both sorely missed.
For those who wish to so, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Ellie’s honor to the charity of your choice.