Happy Birthday Aunt Elsie: from a Kim request

Text (c) Robert Barry Francos
Photos by unknown, unless indicated; from RBF archive

Later this month is my Aunt(pronounced Ant - Brooklyn-style) Elsie Rosen Laffer's birthday. Permit me to introduce the Laffers: Elsie married Albert Laffer (Uncle Al, who as a small youth I thought was "Uncle Lal" by the way it was prononced). They had three kids, Myrna, Marc and Ken. They went on to have families of their own, of course, including Ken's daughter, Kimberly, who recently requested if I had any pictures of her grandparents. My collection of pictures are a bit spotty as I have what I have, passed on through my family. Here, then, are some of my maternal-side family.

Oh, and hopefully, as I'm sure I have some of the dates wrong, the Laffers will be helpful and let me know where I erred, so I can update. Thank you in advance!

Elsie Laffer and Al Laffer in their original Lauderhill condo, 1970s [pic: RBF]


Marc Laffer, Myrna Laffer, Ken Laffer, during the 1970s.

Myrna and Marc, around 1950.

Myrna in the late 1940s.

Ken in grade school, around 1960, in his troublemaker days.

A more introspective Ken in a Dylanesque pose, mid-1960s.

Elise and Al, Flushing, NY [pic: RBF]
Helen Rosen Francos and sis Elsie [pic: RBF]
Elsie, RBF, Al [pic: Helen Francos]

A young Jody Laffer, Marc's daughter, looking so much like my mom, around 1980.

Elsie and Helen whooping it up in either Miami or the Bahamas, late 1970s.

Ken at my Bar Mitzvah party, at Hi Tulip Deli Restaurant in Bensonhurst, 1968 [Pic: RBF]

2005 BBQ at Ken's house: Ken fires up the grill [pic: RBF]
Kim Laffer asleep [pic: RBF]
Elsie and my dad, Leo Francos, the last time they saw each other [pic: RBF]
Carol Laffer, Ken's wife [pic: RBF]
Kim up and about [pic: RBF]
Elsie and Leo [pic: RBF]

Ken relaxes at Marc's house in Boca, Feb 2009 [pic: RBF]
Marc [pic: RBF]
Marc's wife, Patricia [pic: RBF]

Elsie, my last visit to her, at her condo during the winter of 2009 [pic: RBF]
Elsie and her youngest, Ken [pic: RBF]
Me with my favorite aunt, who makes a kugel to die for [pic: Ken Laffer]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNT ELSIE!!