Ellen Polaner, age 90, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by loved ones, on January 19, 2026. Ellen is survived by her three sons, Douglas, Max, and Steven, and was predeceased by her daughter, Sara, and by Leonard, her beloved husband of 66 years. She is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Ellen was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1935, the only child of Harold and Rhoda Seagle. She grew up in Worcester and attended Wellesley College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music in 1957, specializing in piano. After completing her education, Ellen moved to New York City and worked at Columbia Artists Management for a year and then was offered a position working for Arthur Fiedler, the famous conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra. She was about to move back to Boston when love intervened. She met Leonard at a party in April of 1958 and he proposed in August. They married two months later, after which they moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, to raise a family.
While caring for 4 children kept Ellen plenty busy, she still found time for an active life of public and professional service. She served on the Board of Education for Maplewood/South Orange and was President of the League of Women Voters for Orange, NJ. She was the President of the Board of Playhouse Nursery School and a Trustee of Newark Academy.
Later in life, she served on the boards of the ACLU-NJ, New York Public Radio, the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research and was a member of the NJ Department of Education School Ethics Commission. She was also very active in her local community, and served as the Chair of the Committee of Managers of Llewellyn Park, where she and Leonard lived for 40 years.
In addition to raising a family, her public service and volunteering, Ellen also worked in the family business, Polaner Preserves, initially part time and then full time in the data processing department.
On top of everything else, Ellen was an excellent musician and cook, and loved reading, skiing, traveling and, most of all, spending time with her ever-growing family. The one biggest regret that she and Leonard had was that they were only children, and they were committed to having a large and loving family. In their later years especially, nothing made them happier than spending time with their children, children-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Donations in Ellen's name can be made to one of the many charities that she supported throughout her life, and in particular, WNYC, the ACLU or Doctors without Borders.
Ellen was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1935, the only child of Harold and Rhoda Seagle. She grew up in Worcester and attended Wellesley College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music in 1957, specializing in piano. After completing her education, Ellen moved to New York City and worked at Columbia Artists Management for a year and then was offered a position working for Arthur Fiedler, the famous conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra. She was about to move back to Boston when love intervened. She met Leonard at a party in April of 1958 and he proposed in August. They married two months later, after which they moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, to raise a family.
While caring for 4 children kept Ellen plenty busy, she still found time for an active life of public and professional service. She served on the Board of Education for Maplewood/South Orange and was President of the League of Women Voters for Orange, NJ. She was the President of the Board of Playhouse Nursery School and a Trustee of Newark Academy.
Later in life, she served on the boards of the ACLU-NJ, New York Public Radio, the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research and was a member of the NJ Department of Education School Ethics Commission. She was also very active in her local community, and served as the Chair of the Committee of Managers of Llewellyn Park, where she and Leonard lived for 40 years.
In addition to raising a family, her public service and volunteering, Ellen also worked in the family business, Polaner Preserves, initially part time and then full time in the data processing department.
On top of everything else, Ellen was an excellent musician and cook, and loved reading, skiing, traveling and, most of all, spending time with her ever-growing family. The one biggest regret that she and Leonard had was that they were only children, and they were committed to having a large and loving family. In their later years especially, nothing made them happier than spending time with their children, children-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Donations in Ellen's name can be made to one of the many charities that she supported throughout her life, and in particular, WNYC, the ACLU or Doctors without Borders.
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