October 16, 2023
Maibaum, Elda
Elda Maibaum was born Elda China, to Peter China and Carina Sossi, on May 23, 1923 in the borough of Manhattan, NY. Elda graduated from Hunter College in New York City and worked as an economist. She spoke Italian and French. Elda met Albert Maibaum when they were youngsters growing up New York City. Al was the son of the landlord of the China family’s apartment in Queens. Elda and Al, a World War II U.S. Army veteran, married on July 20, 1946 in New York City. They moved to Walpole, MA where Al worked as an electrical engineer at the nearby Foxboro Corporation.
Meanwhile, Elda became very involved with the local Walpole library working as their librarian. They never had any children however, over the decades, they made lifelong friends on Country Club Drive and enjoyed many family gatherings there and on the Cape. They loved dogs, owning a Doberman pinscher named Kimmie and a German short-hair named Prinz. They were avid world travelers – visiting Europe, Asia, Africa and South America together, collecting a myriad of unique memorabilia.
In 2007, Elda and Al moved to Fox Hill Village, a lovely retirement community in Westwood, MA where they settled into their new environs and made even more friends. Al passed away in 2011 but Elda continued to live independently in her apartment until 2018 when her goddaughter arranged for nursing support services at Fox Hill Village to help her live as safely and healthy as possible. Earlier this year, as part of Elda’s move to her new assisted living apartment in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, near to her goddaughter’s home, they celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends. Elda received commemorations for this incredible milestone from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden and from Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts!
Unexpectedly in mid-August, Elda was hospitalized in Florida with pulmonary hypertension. It became a battle between a weak heart and compromised lungs. Elda fought courageously for two weeks, God bless her! But sadly, in her own words, it was “time to go”. She spent four days in hospice care before peacefully leaving this world on Sunday, August 27th.
A memorial mass will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Westwood. The service will be followed by interment at St. Francis Cemetery and a gathering at Conrad’s restaurant, both in Walpole.
Donations in lieu of flowers would be sincerely appreciated:
Option 1-The Norwood Animal Shelter – Monetary donations in memory of Elda Maibaum may be made by check, payable to “Betterment of Norwood Animal Shelter” and mailed to:
Norwood Animal Shelter
Town of Norwood
P.O. Box 40
Norwood, MA. 02062
For questions about donations, please contact Henry Cerqueira, Animal Control Officer at 781-762-3159 or hcerqueira@norwoodma.gov
Option 2-Trustbridge Hospice of Palm Beach County – Monetary donations in memory of Elda Maibaum may be made online or by check, payable to “Trustbridge” and mailed to:
Trustbridge c/o The Foundation Office
5300 East Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
For questions about donations, please contact the Trustbridge Bereavement Center at 888-499-8393
Family Contact information:
Barbara Fawcett
7 Carrick Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
Comments(1)
I was privileged to meet Elda for the first time when her husband passed away. We had mutual friends from here in NYC. We continued to meet up every time I came up to visit my daughter & her family in nearby Lincoln, MA. We enjoyed each other’s company to talk, laugh, & remember times we’d spent here & in our travels.
My daughter entertained both of us at Thanksgiving time & other times when she met my 3 grandchildren who all enjoyed her “grandmotherly” manner & interest in their lives.
We will ALL miss her!