Elaine Halpern

Elaine Halpern (nee Whitman) passed away on Saturday August 2nd surrounded by the love of her family and loved ones. She was the adored partner of Joel Cooper; loving mother of Meredith Halpern-Ranzer (Ian) and Craig Halpern (Pam); beloved step-mother of Josh Cooper (Megan), Debbie Gilman (Mike) and Zach Cooper (Pam); exceptionally proud grandmother of Sarah and Megan Halpern, Elias Halpern-Ranzer, Hannah and Molly Cooper and Jake Gilman; and sister by choice to Sheila Getter Segal and Judi Erlichman Rothaus.

Born in 1945 to English and Lithuanian immigrants, Charlie and Anne Whitman, Elaine was an only child and lived with her parents and grandmother in South Philadelphia until the age of 7. The family then moved to a Jewish neighborhood in Wynnefield, PA where she later attended Overbrook High School where she met her chosen sister Judi. Elaine was a trailblazer from the start. She boldly left home to attend Penn State University—an uncommon path for women at the time—and was among the few women enrolled in the business school. At Penn State, she joined the SDT sorority and formed friendships that would last a lifetime. When her father got sick with cancer and her mother wanted to see some of the boys she was dating, her parents bought her a car, and she moved home to Philadelphia where she finished her college education at Temple University. After a year of student teaching at Kensington High School, she sold her car and bought a ticket to Europe with her best friend Sheila where they spent $10 a day for three months and had the adventure of a lifetime.

Elaine met her first husband, the late Stephen Halpern, through mutual friends and they married in 1969. Together they built a loving home for their two kids, Craig and Merri, who had many fun memories including times with neighborhood friends that became family, Elaine and Steve’s weekly disco lessons in the living room and their mom pulling them out of school to witness the birth of eight puppies from the stray dog they took in weeks before.

Elaine taught typing and business at Roxborough High School where she was affectionately referred to as “Mrs. Hairpin” or “Mrs. Helper.” Always a trendsetter and ever tech-savvy, when computers were introduced in the early 1980s, Elaine was one of the first teachers in the Philadelphia area to get certified to teach students how to use a Macintosh 128K. When Steve started his own paper company, CEM Paper, Elaine became his bookkeeper and biggest cheerleader. After his untimely death at age 47, Elaine—just herself 45 —took over the business, transforming it into a successful paper and printing company. She had a head for numbers, a heart for people, and a knack for winning contracts—sometimes by just one cent per pound. Her ability to get the best deal carried over into her homelife as well, where she accompanied many family members when they were making big purchases and was lovingly referred to as “The Negotiator.”

Elaine’s ability to always be positive carried her through life’s greatest challenges with grace and optimism. When she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and later liver cancer, her blood type (B+) was a match to her daughter’s and Meredith was able to become a living donor in a liver transplant at University of Pennsylvania in 2013. At the time, the surgeons believed this transplant would allow her to live another 5 years. Elaine overcame many other odds, at the casino (or as she called it to her grandkids “School”) and through breast cancer, colitis, severe osteoporosis, and ultimately Parkinson’s Disease.

When her co-workers saw an ad in Philadelphia Magazine’s classified section in 2006 from a “62 year old professional looking for a family-oriented, slim, and sophisticated woman” they encouraged Elaine to reply. This act of courage led her to the love of her life, Joel Cooper. Together, they made a life in Margate and Boca Raton, shared joy through TikTok dances and blended their families into one that surrounded Elaine with love until her final days.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 6th at 11:30 AM at Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Funeral Directors Suburban North Chapel, 310 2nd St. Pike, Southampton, PA. Interment to follow at Roosevelt Memorial Park. 

Shiva will be held on Wednesday August 6th immediately following the cemetery at the home of Zach and Pam Cooper: 105 Red Rambler Dr, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444.  Shiva will also be held on Thursday, August 7th at 5pm at the home of Meredith, Ian and Elias Halpern-Ranzer: 45 Watchung Ave, Montclair, NJ 07043.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Elaine’s memory to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at https://tribute.michaeljfox.org/tribute-page.php?id=3281&np=true