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BORN
1920
DIED
2016
Elaine Silverman Obituary
Elaine was born June 7, 1920 in the little Midwestern town of Arlington, Minnesota. After college, she and her sister Gloria Vesta Murphy moved to New York to break into the theater. However, it wasn't long before Elaine met Sidney Silverman and they very quickly took up life together.
After the birth of their daughter, Rena, they traveled to Elaine's home town of Arlington where their son Sean was born, ultimately settling in San Francisco where Erik was born and San Francisco became her permanent home.
After the death of her beloved Sidney, Elaine raised her family as a single parent in the Haight Ashbury district during the turbulent 60's, worked as a teacher for the SFUSD and lived a life of social activism, never wavering from her beliefs about the equality of man and the goodness in each soul. Because of her kind and loving spirit, she had a place in the hearts of many far flung friends and family. As her father O.S. Vesta said of her, "…she is one who can look into a wayside puddle and see something besides mud and into the face of the most forlorn mortal and see something beyond sin." That is truly her legacy. The world seems a little less bright with her passing and she will be sorely missed.
Donations can be made in her name to Alive and Free/ Omega Boys Club an organization very close to her heart.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Elaine Silverman
4 Entries
Joe Mannion
June 7, 2024
When there was no one to believe in me, Elaine was there.
When the world seemed to dark to bear, Elaine was light.
When all the world was in chaos, at 453 Frederick there was peace.
Stefan Kessler
June 7, 2018
I stayed at Elaines house in 1989 as a guest student at UCSF / Moffitt-Long-Hopsital. It were the best 4 months in my life. I loved her house, her company, good old George Marchi, Elaines family, especially Erik, Rena and Bill, Sean and Pam and all the friends of Elaine. We had wonderful gatherings in Elaines house and I was always welcome to participate. There was even a double bass for me to play and a piano in her living room and we had a great little jazz session once. I remember a Greek stile-Easter holiday at Tonys place in the country, where they invited me to. What a bunch of wonderful memories, all kept in my heart. In her kitchen there was a postcard saying "To the foxiest grand-ma of the west coast". Thats what she was.
Carolyn Glaubensklee
October 6, 2017
Just saw this...realize her death was almost a year ago...I stayed in Elaines house when doing my post-doc at UCSF....WHAT A WONDERFUL LADY! Upon arrival from Albuquerque, she hugged and greeted me and we both sat down to enjoy her famous and delicious coffee and chocolate chip cookies...what a loss...she is on the greeting committee in Heaven..for sure!! My sincere sympathy to the family! Carolyn Glaubensklee
John Linder
December 31, 2016
I was a childhood friend of Erik's and spent a lot of time during my 'tween and teen years hanging out at his house, raising a pigeon on the roof, listening to music, and planning our next adventure. What I remember most about Elaine is how good she made me feel. She was busy during those days so we took care of ourselves, but anytime I saw her, usually in their large and warm kitchen, I felt better. When I returned for visits as an adult, first by myself and later with my wife and children, Elaine was always warm and welcoming, like a big hug surrounding me with the goodness in the world and the simple joy of being alive and sharing time with others. I have never known a more beautiful person.
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