Remembering Elizabeth Brody

Maya Angelou's “When Great Trees Fall” seems apt for the loss of Elizabeth Brody, a former Trustee, State Committee leader, inspiring cyclist and walker and longtime champion of the East Coast Greenway Alliance. She was a pillar of strength for our organization.

Beth was dedicated to moving an audacious 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway vision forward from Maine to Florida. She was critical in national initiatives and also willing to focus locally, like establishing a route for people to bike and walk through the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Her indomitable strength and commitment to experience and enjoy nature and culture were the epitome of the East Coast Greenway ethos.

Beth was always such a wonderful host, sharing her infectious love of New York and active adventure, including subway rides in between lovely walks and bike rides. She spent more than two decades moving the East Coast Greenway forward and is a key reason that our big vision has become the most visited park in the country. She led our organization both on the national level as a Trustee and on the state and local level as State Committee Chair of New Jersey, and then New York.

I was lucky to have biked and walked with Beth along the Hudson River, through Central Park and throughout our corridor from Boston to Florida. I loved hearing of her adventures elsewhere, from biking along the Danube River to participating in a German TV show! May we all endeavor to live our lives with her strength, spark, confidence, intelligence and dedication.

Love and peace to everyone feeling her loss,

Dennis Markatos-Soriano

Executive Director, East Coast Greenway Alliance

Honor Elizabeth Brody

The Brody family has shared that those who wish to honor Elizabeth's memory may direct contributions to the East Coast Greenway Alliance, an organization very close to her heart.