Elaine Saunders Enger

Elaine Saunders Enger was born on July 20,1930 in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in Upper Darby, PA. She was the daughter of Olive Jeanette and John Nelson Saunders. As an only child, she was fortunate to have extended family in her neighborhood, with much of her family life involved in the church, and at school. She enjoyed summers in Ocean City, NJ with her family at the beach and loved jumping the ocean waves. She liked to ride bikes and loved roller skating and ice skating. She had a beautiful singing voice, and was honored to be chosen for the Acapella Choir in High School. As she matured, she enjoyed taking the trolley into Philadelphia to attend Big Band concerts including Tommy Dorsey. Having attended Westchester State College majoring in Early Childhood Education and earning a Master’s Degree from Columbia Teachers College, she was well known as a teacher, from teaching kindergarten, to becoming the Director of the Tenafly Presbyterian Nursery School, and The Children’s Corner Nursery School. She enjoyed opening the world to young people, from reading bedtime stories to her children, to patiently teaching a granddaughter how to knit. When she taught in the Lindenhurst School District, she met Horace Joachim Enger, the single father of one of her students, Isola, resulting in a devoted marriage of close to 60 years. Elaine was the dedicated wife to the late Horace, loving mother to Isola, Carolyn, Christine, Kyle and Kurt, and sweet grandmother to Terrence and Ashley Metz, Kyra and Kinsey McNamara, Andrew, Grace and Kate Enger, and Charlotte, Solomon, Miriam, Abigail and Klara Enger, ranging from ages 1 - 45. She attended many graduations, concerts, sporting events, performances, and birthdays, always with a carefully written note to express her love, enthusiasm, and support. Her delicious pumpkin bread and many pies were a staple at Thanksgiving. She was a talented seamstress creating many halloween costumes, bridesmaid dresses for Isola’s wedding, and historically accurate British uniforms for Kurt’s Revolutionary War reenactments. She loved American and World history, taking her family to many educational sites and museums throughout their lives. She loved the ocean and picnicking at Jones Beach, and also spent many years vacationing in Maine, swimming backstroke in the lake. She enjoyed the simple cabin life that we all embraced and that has become a 60 plus year family tradition. Elaine had a love for classical music concerts and theater performances; WQXR was her constant companion. She provided music lessons for her children to continue the tradition of her late father Nelson, who was a church organist, extending the love of classical music to her family. She was a Girl Scout leader to Carolyn and Christine, teaching them hiking, sewing, crafts, camping, among many other skills. She later enjoyed dancing with the Hudson Valley Scottish Country Dancers, which involved multiple trips including Greece, Croatia, Scotland and Hawaii. She was a devoted member of the Tenafly United Methodist Church, where she sang in the church choir, delivered food to local pantries and helped those in need. Later she delivered food weekly to the Center for Food Action in Englewood NJ, and drove people to doctor appointments through the organization FISH. Her legacy as a kind, sweet, lovely, gracious welcoming person will be remembered by all who knew her. On March 18, 2025 Elaine passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family and caregivers. Memorial visitation will be held at Barrett Funeral Home at 148 Dean Drive Tenafly, NJ on Thursday March 27, 2025 from 5 - 8 PM. The funeral service will be held on Friday March 28th at 10:00 AM at the Tenafly United Methodist Church, 34 W Clinton Ave. Tenafly, NJ 07670. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Elaine’s name to the United Methodist Church, 34 W Clinton Ave. Tenafly NJ 07670, and the Center for Food Action, 75 Knickerbocker Rd. Englewood, NJ 07631.