Ellin Friedman Grossman

1934 - 2023

Ellin Friedman Grossman
03/25/1934 - 05/08/2023
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Ellin Grossman on May 8, 2023. During her long and well-lived life, Ellin was first and foremost a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She outlived our Dad, Dr. Robert Grossman, the absolute center of her world by exactly 18 months and one day. Although she had been suffering from Alzheimer's dementia and vascular dementia before Dad died from Parkinson's disease, Mom began a steady descent after his death in October 2021. Truth be told, she never wanted to be without Dad. And although we are grieving her loss, we know that Ellin is now at peace being reunited with her loving Robert for eternity.
Ellin, who was adoringly called "Mimi" by her grandchildren and "Bunny" by Robert, was truly one of a kind. Born on March 25, 1934 in New York City, Ellin was the daughter of the late Bassami and Dr. Benjamin Friedman. One of Ellin's favorites stories was meeting Robert when she was 15 and he was 16. They fell in love at first sight and continued to date while they attended college. Upon her graduation from Antioch College with a bachelor's degree in creative arts in 1955, Ellin and Robert got married in her parents' apartment. By that time, Robert had already graduated from Swarthmore College and was in medical school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. While Robert was in medical school, Ellin worked as a research assistant in Pre-Columbian Peruvian Textiles for the esteemed archaeologist Junius Bird at The American Museum of Natural History. Simultaneously, Ellin attended graduate school at New York University. She graduated with a Master of Arts degree in art history from the NYU Institute of Fine Arts in 1958.
Ellin was the most supportive wife and she loved sharing life with Robert , which led to their adventures moving around the country as he completed medical school, residency, internship, Army service and then appointments as a brain surgeon. They lived in Rochester and Scarsdale, Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Dallas, Nassau Bay and Houston as Robert's successful neurosurgery career grew. Along the way, their family, grew, too, with the births of their three daughters, Amy, Kate and Jennifer.
Mimi loved her grandchildren with all her heart. She was famous for hosting their New Year's Eve sleepovers and keeping large jars of Oreo cookies on her kitchen counter for them.
One of the most unique things about Ellin happened in 2009 when she started running. She bought some cute, colorful running shoes and took off. At the time, she had no idea how the act of running down a stretch of track or city street would make her feel: strong, powerful and in her own words, "I instantly loved the sensation and challenge of running." Having never run before in her life, Ellin dove into eating, breathing and reading about running. She even wrote an unpublished book about her experiences as a runner. She also immersed herself in the racing world and entered more than 80 5K races - she even won the Gold Phidippides Award from the USA Track and Field Association. She would always win the races too, being the only one in her over-70 age group. Ellin racked up a room full of ribbons and trophies and was even interviewed in Runner's World magazine. Robert faithfully took her to all her races and waited at the finish line, cheering her on with love.
Faithfulness, love and beauty are a constant when thinking about Robert and Ellin. They were married for 66 years and fit together like two pieces of a custom puzzle. After Robert died in 2021, one of the last lucid things Ellin said was that without him, she "felt unmoored." Looking back at a chapter of her book titled "Time is Running Out," Ellin wrote some words that feel appropriate now: "My heart is afloat, light, anticipating the opportunities stretching out ahead; the road is endless and colorful, gorgeous, red and magenta, dark blue and green, sun yellow - the most beautiful road that I can imagine awaits my running shoes. I would not give this up, not now, and I can't do without the run ahead."
Ellin is on her journey now, running ahead to that most beautiful road, to meet up with Dad. No longer unmoored, but fit together again, where they belong.
A private funeral for family will be held on Mother's Day for Ellin, as we bury her next to her beloved Robert. Ellin is survived by daughter Dr. Amy Coburn and husband Dr. Michael Coburn, along with their son Jeff Coburn and daughter Laura Coburn and fiancé Bradley Clement; daughter Kate Rose and Tony Kawczynski along with her son Joel Gottsegen and her daughter Claire Gottsegen and fiancé Scott Weady; and daughter Jennifer Oakley and husband Bruce Oakley along with their children Jessica Sosa and her husband Jonathan Sosa, Sarah Oakley, Connor Albert, Paige Albert and William Oakley.
For more information, please go to the Houston Jewish Funerals: https://www.houstonjewishfunerals.com/
For those wishing to make a donation in Ellin's memory please consider donations to: The Houston Area Parkinson Society (https://haps.org/ ) or the Epilepsy Foundation Central and South Texas (https://efcst.org/)