Remembering Liz Roosevelt

By Victoria Crosby

Elizabeth Emlen Roosevelt, know to all who knew her as "Liz," died at the age of 93 on November 29, 2024. She was my friend.

She was the youngest daughter of John and Elise Roosevelt, and Liz spent her summer in Oyster Bay Cove as a child. 

Liz always loved history. She taught history full-time for many years at Friends Academy and continued part time after she retired. She was a longtime Oyster Bay Historical Society member for many years, where she served on the board and managed their gift shop.

“We are grateful for her time, talents and passion she had for our mission, leaving an indelible mark on all of us," stated a dedication message at Oyster Bay High School. "Ms. Roosevelt was more than a colleague; she was a friend, a mentor and an inspiration. Her contributions have shaped who we are today, and we are forever grateful for her impact. We extend our deepest condolences to the Roosevelt family, friends and all who were fortunate to know and love her.”

Liz was an avid sailor who participated in Ladies Sailing at Seawanhaka Yacht Club, which is where I first met her, but I was not a great sailor like Liz. 

She was also very active at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary Audubon Center in Oyster Bay Cove.

Ed Mohlenhoff, the president of the board at the Sanctuary, remembers her this way: “Liz served as the secretary at the Youngs Memorial Cemetery for forty-five years or more, she meticulously took minutes and read them back again at every annual meeting. She rarely missed a meeting, maybe once in the twenty-eight the years that I was president of the board. She was one of the most well-read people I ever met."

"I still remember her insisting that I read Harry Potter as it was so well written," added Mohlenhoff. "This was well before it became so popular. Liz always insisted on being referred to as Miss Roosevelt, as calling her Mrs. would mean she was only a Roosevelt by marriage and not a blood relative of the Roosevelt clan.

"She was extremely proud of her heritage, and a fiercely independent person. If you knew her, you loved her dearly.”

A life well lived. Rest in peace Miss Roosevelt.