Nicknamed "The Dancer" by the staff and residents of Brandywine Senior Living, Elaine Q. Black, 94, passed away there on July 22, 2016.

A lifelong resident of Woodbridge Township, Elaine is survived by a sister, Bernice Hums (Warren) of Chula Vista, California, and four children: Margaret "Peg" Black (Drew) of Warren, New Jersey, Rosemary Dallam (John) of Hoover, Alabama, David Black (Melissa) of Weaverville, North Carolina, and Elizabeth Black of North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Mourning their loss for this loving woman are 11 grandchildren, one great-grandson and many nephews, nieces, cousins, special friends and caring neighbors, all of whom she cherished dearly.

A former supervisor for Business Services at NJ Bell for 13 years, Elaine married David C. Black, another lifelong Woodbridge resident, in 1945 and devoted her time to raising a family and spending rustic summers at Lake Wallkill in Sussex County.

As the children got older, Elaine pursued her dream for a college education and enrolled in night school at Newark State College (now Kean University), earning an elementary education degree and beginning her second career in teaching. At the beginning of every school year after she became a veteran mathematics teacher at Colonia Middle School, she had these words of wisdom for the new teachers: "Don't smile until after Christmas."

Unfortunately, Elaine had to retire in 1983 to care for her beloved husband. Despite his prolonged illness, they were able to spend many happy winters as "snow birds" on Hutchinson Island, Florida, with family and friends before David Black died in 1997, after 52 years of marriage.

A communicant of St. James Church and financial supporter of her husband's United Methodist Church, Elaine was an active member of the Altar Rosary Society, the Woodbridge Township Retired Educators and an annual subscriber to the NJ Symphony and Rutgers Classical Series.

Never one to stay still, Elaine's love of family was evident in her travels with her children and the annual LBI family gatherings she hosted.

A Mass of Resurrection will take place on Monday July25, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. in St. James Roman Catholic Church, 369 Amboy Avenue, Woodbridge. Visitation will be on Sunday, July 24, 2016 from 1:00 until 5:00 pm at Costello-Greiner Funeral Home, 44 Green Street, Woodbridge.

In lieu of flowers, Elaine asked that contributions be made to either the St. James R.C. Church Food Pantry 174 Grove Street, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 or to the Woodbridge United Methodist Church 69 Main Street, Woodbridge, NJ 07095