Elda Godolja

On Monday, 4/24/2023, Elda Godolja, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. She turned 60 years old that day. Elda was born in Tirana, Albania and passed away at her home in Bradenton, Florida.

For the past 3.5 years, Elda fought with bravery against an aggressive form of breast cancer. From constant trips to the hospital to unexpected side effects and debilitating pain, it is without a doubt that these were difficult years. BUT, the family also created beautiful memories during this time: hiking in Asheville, NC, vacationing in the Hamptons, selling Elda's business in our nation's capital, spending Thanksgiving with the future in-laws in Palm Desert, hunting for easter eggs in Arlington, VA, moving to a beautiful home in Florida, and countless little memories from the time shared with her children and her husband. Most importantly, Elda passed away knowing that her family's love for her knows no bounds. Elda is the soul of her family, the engine, and glue.

Prior to her battle with cancer, Elda ran her own printing business for 10 years in Washington, DC serving our country's congressmen, foreign embassies, and local mom and pop shops among others. Before moving to the United States in 2006, Elda was the Director of Sales for one of Albania's most coveted insurance companies, INSIG. At INSIG, Elda spent 8 years climbing the corporate ranks, but most importantly, she fostered lifelong friendships that survived time and distance. During her university years, Elda met a good friend and classmate. His name is Lulzim and he would eventually become her husband. Their friendship love developed into romantic love, which was manifested with the birth of their first child, Silvester, in 1992. A couple of years later, Elda brought Elsi onto this world, who would become the apple of her eye.

Elda is survived by her husband, Lulzim Godolja, and her two children, Silvester and Elsi, who will carry her legacy and will do their best to pay forward the kindness that Elda has done to them. It is an understatement to say that Elda was a devoted mother. In the absence of words to describe Elda's love for her children, maybe this story might get close to depicting her dedication:

In addition to being a director at INSIG, Elda also led the building of her family's first home in Tirana, a beautiful two-story house in the buzzing neighborhood of Tirana e Re. Elda would run the INSIG Insurance Sales department in the morning and then take the role of a general contractor at the construction site after work for a few hours. Then, she would come home exhausted and take care of the home (cleaning, cooking, etc.). If this was not enough, Elda would sit for hours with Silvester and Elsi to walk them through their incredibly complicated 1st grade homework. This sacrifice is not a single occurrence...it is simply an illustration of her approach to the relationship with her children. Her patience and dedication was unmatched. Regardless of her own health/fatigue, Elda never fell short of supporting her children every step of the way. She was always there for them. They knew that they could rely on her for anything. The persistent unconditional love is the single most important legacy that Elda will be remembered for.

Elda's contagious laugh, beautiful smile, and sense of humor will continue to live with us for all eternity. If you know Elda, you know that she lived by these words:

“Work as if it was your first day. Forgive as soon as possible. Love without boundaries. Laugh without control and never stop smiling.”