Elaine Gotler

Elaine Hirshfield Gotler, 82, of Clearwater, FL died on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Hillside, NJ, she moved to Jacksonville, FL with her parents and then later to Tampa. A real estate broker for many years, she returned to college as an adult, receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both from the University of South Florida. In her second career as an educator, Elaine worked with children with special needs in the Tampa public school system and with college students at Hillsborough Community College.  She was a long-time member of Hadassah and of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Tampa, actively serving in its Sisterhood and as part of the Hillel School of Tampa in its early years. Later, she was a member of Temple B’nai Israel in Clearwater.  Elaine is survived by her husband of 46 years, Leonard, daughter and son-in-law Tara and Richard Rogachefsky, son Steven Gotler, son and daughter-in-law Ross and Rachel Gotler, grandchildren Benjamin and Michael Rogachefsky and Maya and Jacob Gotler, sister Barbara Margol, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Graveside services will be held Tuesday, December 26th, 2:00 PM at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Temple B’nai Israel in Clearwater or to Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. A Shiva service will take place at Segal Funeral Home Tuesday evening at 7:30 PM.