Elaine M. Arberg

Elaine M. Arberg, age 64, of Alexandria, VA, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family on Tuesday, December 12, 2017. She was born in Boston on January 3, 1953 to Dorothea and Frederick Murphy, and grew up in Quincy and Duxbury, MA. She graduated from Duxbury High School before she went on to attend Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene and received her degree through Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences. She married Bob Arberg on July 26, 1981 and together, they had two daughters, Katie and Alison, whom she adored. Elaine enjoyed traveling, soccer, skiing, boating, watching the Patriots and Hokies play football, and spending time with her beloved family and close friends. She was an avid reader and a life-long learner with an inquisitive mind. She worked as a dental hygienist in Washington, D.C. for many years and when her family relocated to Coronado, CA, she worked with children with special needs at the local middle school. Upon moving back to Alexandria, Elaine finished her professional career as a management consultant with CACI International.  She was an active member of United Community Ministries of Alexandria, a non-profit that provides comprehensive social services to vulnerable families. Elaine is survived by her husband Bob Arberg of 36 years; daughters Katie Arberg (Joe Steinberg) and Alison Arberg (Jeff Snyder); grandson Jackson Steinberg; mother Dorothea “Dot” Murphy; brothers Jim Murphy, Paul Murphy (Gia), Joe Murphy, and Richard Murphy (Lesley); sisters Mary Irvin (Wayne), Jeanne Knight (Ted), and Tricia Finamore (Jim); and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Fred, and her older brother, Freddie.  Elaine was fiercely loyal and touched many lives with her honest and loving counsel. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, unparalleled intelligence, witty and infectious sense of humor, and her enduring courage and strength until the very end. She will be dearly missed by many. Relatives and friends may gather from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 28th at Everly Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 W Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302. A memorial Mass will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, December 29th at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 310 S Royal St, with a reception to follow at the Athenaeum, 201 Prince St, Alexandria, VA, 22314. Inurnment will be private in Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at https://lombardi.georgetown.edu/giving.

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