Obituary for Elizabeth Seewaldt (Tancik)
Elizabeth Seewaldt, age 94, died October 29,2022.
Elizabeth Seewaldt was born Alžbeta (Elizabeth) Tanečníkova, on November 5, 1927, in Šoporňa, what was then, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Her parents' names were Ferdinand and Mary; their last names were shortened to Tancik when they immigrated to Canada. First her father immigrated - he became a lumberjack in the Canadian woods. Mary joined Ferdinand in Canada shortly after Elizabeth was born. Because Elizabeth was just a baby, she remained in Šoporňa with her grandmother. Her grandmother ran a mill on the Váh River - a tributary of the Danube River.
At the age of 11 World War II was breaking out in Europe. It was time for Alžbeta (Elizabeth) to travel to be with her parents in Canada. Elizabeth was placed on a train by her grandmother; Elizabeth’s tickets were pinned to her jacket. She traveled to first by train to La Harve, in the Normandy region France. Then strangers helped her get to a boat in the La Harve harbor to travel to Canada. She crossed the Atlantic in November; it was cold and stormy. Her ship was one of the last passenger ships to cross the Atlantic; soon it would be too dangerous. Elizabeth’s grandmother died as World War II was ending.
Elizabeth joined her parents in Montreal Canada. She was renamed Elizabeth Tancik and studied English and French. Then Elizabeth, her parents, and her younger sister Anna moved to New York City. They lived in a few rooms behind the store her parents ran. In New York City Elizabeth practiced her English; she learned English from the radio and record. Elizabeth loved to learn, she also discovered that she loved to sing. She had the opportunity to sing on Uncle Milite’s Rainbow house radio program; another person who sang with her was Beverly Sills. Elizabeth attended the High School of Music and Art. She first attended Hunter College and worked as a telephone operator at the end of World War II. Elizabeth then received a Business degree from Michigan University in 1950; she was the only woman in her class. Elizabeth was very proud that she joined a sorority; because she was of humble means, she sewed all her ball gowns for dances.
Elizabeth married Alfred Seewaldt at the Savoy Plaza September 15,1957.
Elizabeth was employed at Ford Motor Company Headquarters; first in Detroit and then in New York City. She was very proud that she rose to become a supervisor at Ford Motor Company - in the days when women did not become supervisors.
She was a singer in the choir at the First Congregational Church in Chappaqua, NY and the Chappaqua Choral
Group. She liked to sew and follow the stock market. During the 1970’s Elizabeth obtained a stock market certificate. She joined Berlind Securities in White Plains, NY and ultimately worked with the top IBM executives to manage their bonus package.
Alfred Seewaldt, Elizabeth’s husband, died in 1988. Elizabeth remarried Richard H. Goldberg in 1998.
Elizabeth was a loving and dedicated mother, grandmother, and devoted wife.
She is survived by her three children: Victoria, Alfred and Carolyn, her granddaughter, Erin Seewaldt-Dietze, and her
step grandsons, Rajesh Jayaram and Kailash Jayaram.
Donations in Elizabeth Seewaldt's name to be given to the Alzheimer's Association.
Elizabeth Seewaldt was born Alžbeta (Elizabeth) Tanečníkova, on November 5, 1927, in Šoporňa, what was then, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Her parents' names were Ferdinand and Mary; their last names were shortened to Tancik when they immigrated to Canada. First her father immigrated - he became a lumberjack in the Canadian woods. Mary joined Ferdinand in Canada shortly after Elizabeth was born. Because Elizabeth was just a baby, she remained in Šoporňa with her grandmother. Her grandmother ran a mill on the Váh River - a tributary of the Danube River.
At the age of 11 World War II was breaking out in Europe. It was time for Alžbeta (Elizabeth) to travel to be with her parents in Canada. Elizabeth was placed on a train by her grandmother; Elizabeth’s tickets were pinned to her jacket. She traveled to first by train to La Harve, in the Normandy region France. Then strangers helped her get to a boat in the La Harve harbor to travel to Canada. She crossed the Atlantic in November; it was cold and stormy. Her ship was one of the last passenger ships to cross the Atlantic; soon it would be too dangerous. Elizabeth’s grandmother died as World War II was ending.
Elizabeth joined her parents in Montreal Canada. She was renamed Elizabeth Tancik and studied English and French. Then Elizabeth, her parents, and her younger sister Anna moved to New York City. They lived in a few rooms behind the store her parents ran. In New York City Elizabeth practiced her English; she learned English from the radio and record. Elizabeth loved to learn, she also discovered that she loved to sing. She had the opportunity to sing on Uncle Milite’s Rainbow house radio program; another person who sang with her was Beverly Sills. Elizabeth attended the High School of Music and Art. She first attended Hunter College and worked as a telephone operator at the end of World War II. Elizabeth then received a Business degree from Michigan University in 1950; she was the only woman in her class. Elizabeth was very proud that she joined a sorority; because she was of humble means, she sewed all her ball gowns for dances.
Elizabeth married Alfred Seewaldt at the Savoy Plaza September 15,1957.
Elizabeth was employed at Ford Motor Company Headquarters; first in Detroit and then in New York City. She was very proud that she rose to become a supervisor at Ford Motor Company - in the days when women did not become supervisors.
She was a singer in the choir at the First Congregational Church in Chappaqua, NY and the Chappaqua Choral
Group. She liked to sew and follow the stock market. During the 1970’s Elizabeth obtained a stock market certificate. She joined Berlind Securities in White Plains, NY and ultimately worked with the top IBM executives to manage their bonus package.
Alfred Seewaldt, Elizabeth’s husband, died in 1988. Elizabeth remarried Richard H. Goldberg in 1998.
Elizabeth was a loving and dedicated mother, grandmother, and devoted wife.
She is survived by her three children: Victoria, Alfred and Carolyn, her granddaughter, Erin Seewaldt-Dietze, and her
step grandsons, Rajesh Jayaram and Kailash Jayaram.
Donations in Elizabeth Seewaldt's name to be given to the Alzheimer's Association.