Obituary of Elizabeth Kaplan

Elizabeth Kaplan of Montclair died on Saturday, Sept 7, 2024, after a 8-month-long illness. She was 74.

The oldest of three children, Liz was born in 1950 to the late Ruth (Wellman) and Irving Kaplan. She grew up and attended the public schools in Teaneck.  It was probably there, at Bischoff’s, that she developed her life-long love of ice cream.

She received a BA at NYU, an MA – both in English – at Rutgers, and a JD, also at Rutgers School of Law-Newark.

Liz worked as a legal writer and editor before retiring and had extensive editorial credits earlier in her varied career.

Liz packed much more than degrees, writing credits and student loans into her life. Her interests included acting. She attended two semesters at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC, and performed locally with the St James Players, the N.J. Mental Health Players and the UCC Players. Liz’s turn as Sonya in the UCC Players’ production of ‘Vanya and Sonya and Sasha and Spike’ showcased her “wry sense of humor” — as a friend noted — perfectly.

Liz returned to tennis playing, another lifelong passion, in recent years.  Before knee surgery in 2019, she would be found most summer mornings playing an intense set of doubles at Freeman Courts in Glen Ridge. And she was the Biggest Fan Ever of Roger Federer. She sweated through more of his matches than Rafa.

Singers held special places in Liz’s heart, beginning with her mother, Ruth, who joined the New Jersey Choral Society in her retirement.  Liz attended all their concerts in Ridgewood.  Nina Simone, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and  ... Ashford & Simpson were also favorites.

Liz was blessed with great intellectual curiosity, which led to an omnivorous reading habit. The titles on her bookshelves show the range of her interests, from the complete (completely dog-eared, too) works of Anthony Trollope and Oliver Sacks to books about the impact of music and reading on the brain.

Liz — marathon talker, sharp observer, “quiet giggler”, intrepid lover of life despite all obstacles — will be missed by them all, along with the staff at Montclair Care Center who attended Liz so well these last months of her life.

A memorial service will be held in Union Congregational Church in the near future.