Ilse Anna Landau

Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, the daughter of Olympian Barend and Dora Assou, Ilse immigrated to the United States with her beloved husband, Leopold Landau, who was serving in the United States Army. They started their family in East Orange, and then moved to North Plainfield, before settling to Warren, where she lived until her passing.

Ilse was devoted to helping others. She was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who led by example in all she did with and for her family and community. Her love of helping others reached Jewish refugees from the USSR, she taught English and helped them obtain jobs. She selflessly gave her time to her family and supported every facet of their success. Later in life, she even joined the Warren Rescue Squad as an EMT and found so much joy in volunteering her time to the community. While off duty, she heard a call come for an imminent baby delivery, right up the street from her home. Ilse didn’t hesitate to rush up the street and deliver a baby boy right at home. Twenty years later, a knock came to her door, and a young man stood there to thank her for helping his mother deliver him two decades before.

She had a passion for photography, having her own darkroom in the basement and mastering the art of exposure development. Ilse took thousands of photos, documenting the beauty of life around her, even taking some for the local papers. She loved being an Oma to her seventeen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, she was always around for a supporting talk or making family holidays and gatherings special. Her cooking was adored by her family who have passed on her recipes through generations.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Leopold Landau.

Surviving are her loving family, son Ralph Landau, his ex-wife Janelle and their two children Rachel and Mitchel, son Martin Landau and his ex-wife Robin and their two children Max and Chloe, son Stephan Landau and wife Mary and their four children, Daniel and wife Brenda, their children Esther and Ellie, Abigail and husband Jesus, Ruth and husband Dionis and their son Leo, and Dov and wife Skye, daughter Deborah Landau and husband Mike and their nine children, Katie, Kevin, Emily and husband Logan, Zachary, Jonathan, Sam, Benjamin, Liam, and Finn, as well as her extended family and community of friends.