Elaine S. Restifo

Elaine S. Restifo

AGE: 79 • Lambertville

Elaine S. Restifo, of Lambertville, passed away peacefully on the morning of December 21, 2011 at Hunterdon Medical Center, in Flemington, New Jersey. She was 79. Elaine was born in Camden, New Jersey on October 29, 1932 to Isabel Eliza Loder and Edward Meredith Smailer. Mother, grandmother, artist, poet, teacher, caregiver, Elaine was an advocate for the less fortunate, a radical pacifist, and organizer of the River Poets. Elaine created and began publication of the poetry magazine The River in 1968. Elaine graduated from Temple University's Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. She later taught art and photography at New Hope-Solebury High School, Holicong Middle School, and Central Bucks West High School.

She is survived by her brother John and wife Verda Smedley of Sante Fe, New Mexico, her children Christine Restifo of Lambertville, Dr. Richard Restifo of Orange, Connecticut, Frank Restifo and wife Liza of Neptune City, and her grandchildren, Nicholas Restifo, Kayla Restifo, Zachary Restifo, and Maya Restifo.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 27 at 11 am at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 10 Chapel Road, New Hope, Pennsylvania. A reception will follow at Swan Creek Galleries, 36 South Main Street, Lambertville, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Philip's Episcopal Church, public television, the New Hope-Lambertville Rescue Squad, or the Cat's Bridge to Rescue.