Elissa Epel

February 9, 2020

Elissa (Pollingher) Epel, a longtime resident of the town of Greenburgh, passed away on February 9, 2020 at Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY, at the age of 74 from complications related to Parkinson's Disease and Kidney Disease. Born on June 2, 1945 in Boston, MA, Elissa grew up in the Boston area and attended Simmons College, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in English and Communications. She then moved to New York, where she attended graduate school at Columbia University, and received her Master's degree in English in 1968. 1968 was also the year she married high school sweetheart Joseph Epel, to whom she was married for more than 51 years. They have remained in the New York area ever since. Elissa began her career in the publishing industry, followed by some years raising her two daughters, Jennifer and Emily, and then worked for the United Way of Westchester on fundraising projects. In 1994, Elissa and her husband, Joe, became business owners when they opened their printing business, Minuteman Press of Yonkers, where they worked together for many years, until Elissa’s illness made it impossible for her to continue working. Joe continues to run their business today. Elissa was a warm, loving, and patient wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and business owner who loved her family dearly and would do anything for them. Her intelligence and compassion always shone through in every situation, and she was always determined to fight through many difficult illnesses as long as she possibly could, in order to be with her family. Elissa leaves behind devoted husband Joseph Epel; two loving daughters, Jennifer Muller (and husband Michael) and Emily Shields (and husband Christopher); three beautiful grandchildren, Will, Isabel, and Jonathan; two loving sisters, Linda Schnyder and Jacalyn Lupo; and their families. Funeral Service 11:00AM Thursday Edwards-Dowdle Funeral Home, 64 Ashford Ave, Dobbs Ferry. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Parkinsons Foundation at https://www.parkinson.org