Eleanor Weinstock, former state rep and senator who championed equal rights, dies at 94

Eleanor Weinstock, a former Palm Beach resident who served 14 years as a representative and then a senator in the Florida legislature, died Saturday, Aug.19, 2023, from Parkinson's disease.

She was 94 years old.

Born Jan. 25, 1929, in New York, Eleanor Frank would go on on to graduate from Skidmore College with a bachelor's degree in art.

She was in Hollywood, Florida, on a short vacation from her New York job as a textile designer when she met Sander "Sandy" Weinstock. The couple married and, after a honeymoon in Africa, settled in New Rochelle, New York.

But not for long. Just a year later, Sandy bought what was then the Ambassador Hotel and moved his family to Palm Beach's north end.

While her husband was busy developing condominiums in the south end ― including Sloan's Curve ― Mrs. Weinstock continued her art while raising three children and becoming more active in civic issues, eventually serving as president of Florida's League of Women Voters.

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In her early years in Palm Beach, Florida was still strictly segregated, with public water fountains labeled "Black" and "White."

"I remember taking my daughter to the water fountain in Winn-Dixie," she said in an interview with the Palm Beach Post "and, of course, I took her to the black one."

It was the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment that propelled her into politics when, incensed by the bill's resounding defeat in the Florida legislature, she vowed to unseat her district's anti-ERA representative.

She did exactly that and went on to serve 14 years as a representative and then a senator, championing education and social justice initiatives.

She and her husband were avid bridge players, both eventually attaining Life Master ranking. At the time of his death in 2008, they had been married for 56 years.

Mrs. Weinstock continued to paint until shortly before her death.

She is survived by her children Jane, Charles ("Chuck") and Ann; and her grandchildren Alexander and Caroline.

There will be a private service for family and friends. Condolences may be sent to cweinstock@mac.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Eleanor Weinstock, former Florida state rep and senator, dies at 94