Elaine M. Pietrzak

August 30, 1935 ~ October 1, 2025

Elaine Marie Pietrzak (1935-2025), beloved and known as "Nana," passed peacefully in her home of over six decades on October 1, 2025. Her journey to rest was buoyed by the perpetual devotion of her loving family, who will deeply miss her and her joyful personality, humor, and constancy as the rock grounding our family.

Elaine was a captivating beauty and a vivacious Jersey Girl who married her high school sweetheart, Frank Pietrzak, in 1958, one year after graduating from Montclair State University and just days after completing her first year as an elementary school teacher. Early married life brought Frank and Elaine to the bucolic splendor of the Hudson Valley, where they planted their forever roots amidst the gorgeous trees of New Windsor, New York.

Elaine and Frank were married 59 years and her immediate family survives Elaine:  son, Frank Pietrzak, Jr. and his wife, Lisa Ann Canino, of Beacon, NY, and their children, Maxwell Pietrzak of London, England, and Harrison Pietrzak and partner, Nina Guido of Beacon, NY; daughter, Tania Pagan and her husband William Pagan of NY, NY, and their children, Talia Pagan and partner Damon Wilpan, Cervantes Pagan, and Cortez Pagan of NY, NY; and daughter, Tasha Melita and her husband George Melita, of Newburgh, NY, and their child, George Melita and fiancé, Sandy Hem, of Porter Ranch, California.

Colleagues at Horizon on Hudson Magnet School, Newburgh, NY, enjoyed Elaine's friendship and admired her excellence as a classroom and Science teacher, and later, her career as Assistant Vice Principal. Elaine had an impeccable work ethic and instilled that at home with her children, grandchildren, and students at school.

After she retired from school administration, Elaine loved to travel with her husband occasionally, and they spent countless weekends at the Jersey Shore in the company of her uproariously funny brother, Ted Stankiewicz, and his wife, Gail Stankiewicz. Elaine is survived by their child, her nephew, Guy Stankiewicz, and his family of Sparta, NJ.

Elaine was a modern woman until her ripe age of 90 this summer. She was an avid Mets, Rangers, and Cowboys fan and reader, a competitive Trivial Pursuit player, beach and crime-story lover, and Cadillac, iPad, and iPhone loyalist who loved texting. Above all, she was our confidant and sweet, patient, kind, and fiercely loyal mother and Nana to her five grandchildren.

A Julio Iglesias song that she loved captures what we hold in our hearts for her:

Ever and ever, forever and ever

You'll be the one

That shines on me

Like the morning sun.

Ever and ever, forever and ever

You'll be my spring,

My rainbow's end

And the song I sing….

A private prayer service for invited family of Elaine will be held at Brooks Funeral Home, 481 Gidney Ave., Newburgh, NY. Please consider donating in her memory to the charities Elaine supported and United Hospice, who were angels to her and us in her final hours of need:

Please consider donating in her memory to the charities Elaine supported and United Hospice, who were angels to her and us in her final hours of need:

https://unitedhospiceinc.org/donation/

https://giving.mskcc.org/donate/honor-memory

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate