Funeral Details

In Loving Memory of Ellen Beth Lambert Holstein Pritsker: March 29, 1940 – May 7, 2025
It is with deep love and gratitude that we remember the life of Ellen Beth Lambert Holstein Pritsker, who passed away on May 7th, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, warmth, and brilliance. Born in Chicago on March 29, 1940, to Gertrude Ackerman Lambert and Milton Harold Lambert, she entered a world on the brink of war, yet brought light and laughter wherever she went.
As the firstborn of four children, she was a beloved sister to Barbara, Penny, and Lakshmi. Her early years were spent in the vibrant Austin neighborhood of Chicago, where her father built a successful business and passionately supported the founding of Israel and the Chicago chapter of Magen David Adom.
A gifted student, she excelled in reading and skipped multiple grades, which led her to enter Austin High School at just 12 years old. While academics came easily, it was in the bustling social scene of the 1950s that she truly thrived. Her youthful spirit and love of life carried her through college at the University of Wisconsin and later the University of Michigan, where she immersed herself in literature, poetry, the arts and meaningful friendships.
In 1960, she met and married Bob Holstein, and together they had three sons—Peter, Jamey, and Scott. Her journey through motherhood was as dynamic as the rest of her life, guiding her young family through the leafy streets of Evanston and Glencoe, Illinois, always with determination, style, and a deep love for her children.
After transitioning out of her first marriage, she married Arnold in 1980, sharing many joyful years full of travel, laughter, and farm life in Wisconsin. Her professional life was just as full—she was an accomplished journalist, public relations executive, speech writer and communicator. Her work included time at the Chicago Tribune, Pioneer Press, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and the Flying Food Group, among many others. Her words informed, inspired, and connected people throughout the region.
She is survived by her beloved children Scott (Kim), Jamey (Ane), Peter (Lynn); grandchildren Sonia, Daniella, Aiden, Simon and Becca; and many cherished friends and family members. Her life was a testament to resilience, curiosity, creativity, and love.
Her final years were marked by reflection, courage, and gratitude: “My cup runneth over,” she once wrote. And truly, so did the lives of those lucky enough to know her. Services Friday, 10:30 AM at Sukkat Shalom, 1001 Central Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Parkinson's Foundation,1359 Broadway, Ste 1509, New York, NY 10018, www.parkinson.org. To attend the funeral live stream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.