A Pillar of Pelham Parkway and The Bronx, Elaine Feder, Passes Away

The Bronx has one less activist and proud community member.

Elaine Feder (née Serkes), a lifetime resident of the Pelham Parkway neighborhood of our borough and a founding member of the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association passed away earlier this week.

“She was passionate and fierce when it came to the quality of life of this neighborhood. She help us to start the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association and was part of our board since the very beginning.” said friend PPNA member, Louis Lutnick.

Lutnick added that she, “…was a great resource for her knowledge of accounting and her political ties, she has had a history (positive) with all our current elected officials.”

Passionate and fierce were common words used to describe her when it came to advocacy for her home neighborhood of Pelham Parkway.

Kenny Agosto, Democratic District Leader of the 80th Assembly District, friend of Feder for 20 years and who served with her on the 49th Precinct community council echoed those sentiments.

“She was a pillar of the community, a good woman, a special woman. She was very frank with people and said what needed to be said. She’s going to be sorely missed.” said Agosto.

Another friend and neighbor, Rosanna Delgado had nothing but praises for Elaine Feder who was the epitome of a concerned Bronx resident just trying to make her corner of our borough, our world better than we inherited it.

Delgado told us that they met at Columbus High School (where which Elaine herself attended) during a mayoral debate and Feder introduced herself to her.

“She was very welcoming and kind.  She shared several old political stories about past candidates. Further on she was always gracious and made me feel welcome to attend Pelham Parkway meetings.” Delgado shared.

Rosanna added that, “Elaine had such an open heart…her demeanour and attitude lifted up my aspirations for our block. God bless her and may she rest in peace”

In a Facebook post regarding Elaine’s passing, Louis Lutnick said, “I can still remember sitting in the old Synagogue on Lydig and Barnes and all of us sitting at the table discussing what we wanted the PPNA to be and what we wanted the PPNA to represent, it was clear from the beginning that no one was more passionate about these things than Elaine. Losing Elaine is a huge loss to all of us but not continuing the work we began all those years ago by her and others would be a bigger loss to the community we love. Thank you Elaine for all you have done, we will continue the work that you started in your memory. RIP.”

Another Facebook post by Jacqueline Lutnick said, “My great friend and mentor has passed from this earth. She will be dearly missed by myself and my son. Words can not express our sadness at the passing of Elaine Feder. She was a dear friend to my family and a pillar of her community. We are all diminished by her passing …RIP on the arms of Hashem…. Until we meet again.”

It was clear that Elaine was a special woman. I never had the privilege of meeting her beyond some brief comments on Facebook some years ago but she seems like my kind of human being:  Someone who wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and make things happen.

Currently her family is looking for a home for her two beloved cats, Alice and Trixie who are between 3 and 4 years of age and have been spayed and neutered. If you’re interested in adopting these two beautiful felines, please call or email her cousin Ira Serkes at 510-526-6668 or ira@berkeleyhomes.com to give her furry family a forever home. Anyone who is interested, kindly consider keeping the pair together as it would be another loss for them on top of losing Elaine if they were to be separated.

Here’s looking at you, Elaine, and may many follow in your footsteps. Thank you for all you did so selflessly.