Elaine Ellen Roberts

Elaine Ellen Roberts, 92, of Newton, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026. A woman of fierce independence, boundless curiosity, and deep devotion to family, Elaine lived a life that spanned six generations and left her mark on each one of them.

Born Elaine Ellen Katz on January 19, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, she grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood in a lively multigenerational household with her grandparents, parents, sister Doreen, and beloved Uncle Herb. It was around their spirited weekly Shabbat dinners that she first developed the independent thinking and passion for civic life that would define her. She met her future husband, Kenneth George Roberts, in high school, and they married on Valentine’s Day in 1953 while Ken was stationed in Virginia during the Korean War. Their love story spanned seven decades of unwavering partnership, adventure, and mutual support.

Together Elaine and Ken raised three children in Warwick, Rhode Island. Their life was anything but conventional. They owned a marina, built a hotel at Point Judith’s Port of Galilee, traveled the country in an outfitted van, and created their beloved “Camelot” in Cherry Hill, Nova Scotia. After their children left home, they pursued a shared passion for antique jewelry and opened Harbour Galleries on Main Street in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Elaine was a woman of purpose who founded a program for displaced homemakers while working for the State of Rhode Island, ran for public office, lobbied in Washington, D.C. for Title IX and the Equal Rights Amendment, and remained outspoken and politically active throughout her life. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education while raising her children and later taught seminars on the history of jewelry while mentoring others.

Above all, Elaine was a dedicated mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who made everyone feel like her favorite and never missed an opportunity to support those she loved. She found quiet joy in knitting, reading, walking the beach, and collecting sea glass, especially at Goddard Park in Rhode Island and her cherished Cherry Hill Beach in Nova Scotia. After Ken’s death in 2024, she moved to the Golda Meir House in Newton, Massachusetts, where she remained an active community member and founded Advocate for Democracy, organizing residents and encouraging civic engagement.

Elaine was predeceased by her husband Kenneth and her sister Doreen Angel. She is survived by her children Cathy Roberts (Cam Pierel), Leslie Krumholz (Harlan), and Steven Roberts (Maryam); her grandchildren Sam Krumholz (Akana Noto), Rebecca Krumholz (Matthew Gottesdiener), Sarah Krumholz (Billy Rison), Hannah Quartner (Jeremy), Ben Roberts-Pierel (Tjorven Sievers), Alex Roberts-Pierel (Nina Scheepers), Justin Pierel (Ellie), Leila and Yasmin Roberts; her great-grandchildren Aaron, Nora, and Ella Gottesdiener, Satsuki and Noemi Krumholz-Noto, Hallie Rison, Linus Sievers-Pierel, and Owen Pierel; and many nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives she touched with her warmth, determination, and belief that every voice matters.