Ellen Kleinman Siff

Ellen Kleinman Siff, age 80, passed away Thursday, November 4, 2021 at Bridgeport Hospital. Born in New York City, she was the daughter of Harry Kleinman and Molly Heller Kleinman, who died when Ellen was a toddler. Her father remarried Florence Socha Kleinman (Spindel), who became her "beautiful golden-haired mother." Ellen was raised in Great Neck, N.Y. and graduated from Great Neck High School, the University of Rochester, where she met Paul, the love of her life, and earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Missouri. A skilled clinician, she enjoyed a long career as a school social worker in the Fairfield public school system.

She is survived by Paul, her loving husband of 59 years, son Dave (Renae Wolter), daughter Rachel Levesque (Mike) and grandchildren Gabriel Siff and Madeleine Levesque. Ellen was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who cherished time with her family, a steadfast friend, a great cook, avid reader, lover of travel (France was her favorite destination), dance, music, and theater, family vacations on Cape Cod, and weekends spent in Greenwich Village. Above all, Ellen was a warm and caring person for whom making other people happy was a great joy.

The family would like to thank Dr. Scott Gettinger, Dr. Veronica Chiang, and Dr. Joachim Baehring and their staffs at Smilow Cancer Hospital, for the years of skillful and compassionate care they gave her, as well as Dr. Peter Cimino, Dr. Ari Pollack and Dr. Deborah Lipschitz; and the Medical ICU staff at Bridgeport Hospital for the wonderful care they provided at the end of Ellen's life.

Donations in Ellen's memory may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital, 35 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06511. To send online condolences please visit www.redgatehennessy.com