Eileen Joan Edelstein Mazva

Eileen Joan Edelstein was born on March 8, 1943 - she died this past Sunday, February 26, 2023. Eileen was born to Abraham Irving Edelstein and Gertrude Fixler in Brooklyn, New York where she was raised along with her younger sister, Maxine Bonnie. She was proud of her New York lineage and Brooklyn accent which she never wanted to shake. Teen years were spent in suburban Bergenfield, New Jersey, followed by studies at Dean College in Franklin, MA. Academic pursuits were sidetracked by chronic asthma which became debilitating and necessitated time in Denver as a patient at National Jewish Health. In 1969 Eileen left Denver and returned to New York City where she worked at Eastern Airlines in Customer Service. It was in the Upper East Side of Manhattan that Eileen met Chicagoan and advertising executive Mike Mazva . They were married in 1971 and welcomed their first child, Stefanie Adrianne, in January of 1972.

In the summer of 1972, Eileen and her young family moved to Lawerenceville, Georgia, outside of Atlanta where Mike had a job in Consumer Relations for Eveready Batteries. Son David Michael was welcomed in 1974. Eileen was an active volunteer at The Atlanta Children’s Theatre during these years.

In 1979 the Mazva’s moved to Richardson, Texas where Eileen spent her years as a dedicated volunteer with the schools PTAs, The Boy Scouts and The Dallas Film Festival. At Richardson West Junior High, Eileen found her passion and began her career as a Teacher's Aide with special needs children.

Eileen’s work in the field of education continued even after the family moved to Chesterfield, Missouri in 1987. Eileen became a TA in the Special School District of St. Louis County where she worked for the next 20 years. It was during the Missouri years that Eileen and Mike welcomed Stefanie’s husband Ari Cohen to the family, and eventually granddaughters Sofia Inez, Eloise Bryce, as well as David’s child, granddaughter Wren Stefanie.

As empty nesters, Eileen and Mike moved to Bluffton, South Carolina in 2015 where they continued to pursue their shared interests in travel, restaurants, and socializing.

Eileen will always be remembered for her love of family, fun, belly laughs, Chinese food, cookbooks, grocery stores, pina coladas, and talking to strangers as if they were friends. She leaves behind her bereft husband of 52 years, her children and their partners, granddaughters, close friends and loving cousins.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado.