Elke J. Biddulph

Elke Biddulph, age 74, of Plainfield NJ passed away after a valiant battle with Alzheimer’s.Those who knew Elke would understand that she would want the description of her life to be short and sweet, like her beloved cream puffs. In honor of her legendary willfulness, we will not obey her wishes.

Elke was born in Haslach, Germany to the late Stan and Margrit Serbanica and came to the US at the age of 3 and a half. She was the oldest of six children who honed her exceptional cooking and baking skills at a young age, often helping to take care of her 5 younger siblings. Elke continued her lifelong passion for taking care of others when she entered nursing school in Elizabeth, NJ. It was a chance encounter on a street corner in Elizabeth one summer night that led her to meet the love of her life, Keith.

Keith and Elke married in 1970 and started a life together filled with simple pleasures. They could often be found spending hours gardening their well-manicured backyard, bird watching and going on nature walks. Elke was an avid reader who loved to dance, was a Motown music aficionado and Halloween enthusiast, hosting legendary parties when her children were young.

It is debatable whether Elke was more skilled at cooking or baking and legend has it that Julia Child once requested Elke’s recipe for shrimp toast. Elke’s culinary skills were rivaled only by her ability to hold lengthy, detailed, albeit sometimes tangential conversations. It was once suggested that Elke could start a conversation with a lamppost.

Elke spent 52 years in health and happiness with her husband Keith. She leaves behind her daughter Kim (husbands Jamey/deceased and Robbie), Ryan (wife Kelly) and Pam. Elke’s love for nursing, birds and baking lives on in her only granddaughter Caeley.

She also leaves behind brother Mihai, brother Stan Jr. (wife Cathy) and sister Christine (husband Michael). Elke was preceded in death by her sister Diana and brother Peter (wife Jane). She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews in addition to an assorted “adopted” family of Kim, Ryan and Pam’s childhood friends who regaled her as the Queen of Pancakes. Although Elke was loved by and loved many, she vowed to take her visceral distaste of Kirstie Alley with her to the grave.

Visitation will be at Scarpa-Las Rosas Funeral Home, 22 Craig Place, North Plainfield, NJ on Sunday, November 20th from 1-4pm. www.scarpalasrosasfh.com

Funeral mass to be held Monday, November 21st at 11:00 am at St. Bernard’s and St. Stanislaus in Plainfield NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Elke’s memory to Alzheimer’s New Jersey www.alznj.org.