Elissa Ruth Chansky
Elissa Ruth Chansky passed away peacefully on September 24 in Haverford. She was 88.
Elissa was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Jacob and Rachel Ellsas. She graduated from Durfee High School in Fall River, and earned a nursing degree from Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. In 1952, she married Harold Fisher, who contracted a fatal case of polio in 1955, leaving Elissa with their two young children. Norman Chansky, a mutual friend of Elissa and Harold, stepped in to help.
In 1957, Elissa and Norman married. They had three children. In 1966, the family moved to Swarthmore. Elissa and Norman were well known to many Swarthmore residents as a couple who took evening walks around the town.
Elissa was a staff nurse at Swarthmore College until her retirement. Throughout her lifetime, she greatly enjoyed all the homemaking arts, as well as reading, travel, and community service. She shared those interests with her children and her neighbors. As a family, the Chanskys went on annual trips to see their extended family in the Boston area, and on adventures to London, Paris, and Israel. After their children were on their own, Elissa and Norman went on many trips with Elderhostel in Europe and across the United States. Elissa enjoyed other cultures and was a deeply open and accepting person. Her son, Matthew, described her as “an angel on earth.”
Elissa was a doer with a limitless zest for new projects, and was resourceful and creative with whatever materials she had. All who knew her appreciated her wit; she graced interactions with effortless one-liners, perfectly on cue. She was the epitome of kindness, and inspired her family with her energy, enthusiasm, hard work, organization, extraordinary maternal patience, boundless ability to reframe difficulty, gentleness, generosity and gratitude. And most of all with her strength and courage.
Elissa is survived by her beloved husband, Norman; her sister, Lila Trachtenberg; her children, Linda Janidlo (Thom), James (Katherine), Keren Suberri (Moshe), Tamar Stern (Phillip), and Matthew (Lisa); her grandchildren, Elizabeth Hunt (Ryan), Sara Preheim (Scott), Bethany Janidlo, Allison Burch (Bobby), Isaac Chansky, Gilad Suberri (Sarit), Kinneret Suberri (Alan Mitchell), Mer Stern, Raia Stern, and Emma Chansky; her great-grandchildren, Abby, Corinna, Tyler, Arran, Rona, Solomon, Eleanor, Daniella, Eitan, and Nadav; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and countless dear friends. Elissa is dearly missed, and she lives on through us all.
Elissa was interred at Mount Jacob Cemetery in Glenolden. The service was conducted by Rabbi Linda Holtzman. All her children were present, either in person or via Zoom, along with many other family members and dear friends from across the U.S. and in Israel.
Donations in memory of Elissa R. Chansky can be made to the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, in whose thrift shop Elissa was a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer for many years, and to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
