| Elka Ostrovsky | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birthday |
January 17, 1922 |
|
Spouse |
One Husband (Faked being Deceased; Revealed alive in the Season 2 Finale) |
|
Children |
Three Kids |
|
Grandchildren |
Three Grandkids |
|
Fiancee |
Fred |
|
Friends |
Victoria Chase, Melanie Moretti, Joy Scroggs |
|
Birthplace |
Poland |
|
Portrayed |
Betty White (Deceased) |
|
Occupation |
Mayor of Cleveland |
A widow in her late 80s, old-school Elka Ostrovsky has been a caretaker (of the Cleveland home the L.A. ladies rent) for 50 years -- ever since she lost her husband. She lives in the guest cottage in the back, and often has the scent of an illegal substance on her. Elka was born in Poland, where she escaped from the Nazis and finally found her way to Cleveland. She has three children and three grandchildren. Opinionated and outspoken, Elka instantly dislikes Joy Scroggs, perhaps because they have similar personalities (as both are, of course, foreigners). She cooks for the ladies, who are used to healthy, organic foods and now find themselves in the land of cheese fries. She re-enters the dating game once the women move in and is loving it. She is engaged to a fellow senior named Max, who she met on her first date. Her ex-husband faked being deceased and was in the mob. In the season finale, a tornado hits Cleveland and the girls seek shelter in Elka's basement. There they discover that Elka's late husband was a fence for the mob, and she is subsequently arrested by Melanie's cop boyfriend.
She is portrayed by Betty White.