Kathleen Elliott was the mother of actress Brooke Elliott, who built her career with roles on shows like Drop Dead Diva and Sweet Magnolias, and who also appeared in the 2000 romantic comedy film, What Women Want.
Brooke has described her mother’s death as an immense loss and has frequently spoken about the deep connection they shared. Below are some notable facts about the late Kathleen.
Kathleen’s Illinois Roots and Family Background
Born in Chicago on Dec 20, 1948, Kathleen Elliott was the daughter of Raymond and Margaret (Carroll) Hoffman.
Her family background included German, Dutch, English, and Irish lines. The late Mrs. Elliott’s grandfather, Raymond F Hoffman, was born in Illinois and was the son of Walter George Hoffman and Verna L Cronkhite. For more on the family tree see ancestry records.
Walter’s lineage traces back to Germany: his father, John Hoffmann, came from Darmstadt in Hessen. Walter’s mother, Mary Stefler/Stellpflugm, was also of German origin, with roots in North Rhine-Westphalia and in Hannover, Lower Saxony.
On the Cronkhite side, Verna—daughter of Frank A. Cronkhite—brought Dutch and English ancestry into the family. Verna’s mother, Mary Frances Farrell, was Irish, with ancestral ties to Waterford.
Kathleen’s mother was Margaret Carroll. Kathleen’s siblings include a sister, Sue Yaeger, and four brothers: Ronald Hoffman, Robert Hoffman, Raymond Hoffman, and Thomas Hoffman.
Marriage to Robert Elliott and Their Children
Brooke’s mother, Kathleen, married Robert Elliott on July 18, 1970, in DeKalb, Illinois. The marriage produced three children: Jamie Alexander, Brooke, and Adam.
While raising their family, Mr. and Mrs. Elliott moved around several locations, including Blaine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Illinois, before eventually making Riverview, Michigan their home.
Few specifics about how the couple first got together have been made public; the circumstances surrounding the start of their relationship remain private.
Career in Programming and Entertainment Management
For much of her life, Kathleen concentrated on raising her family, but she also sustained a professional career alongside those duties. For over 30 years she worked as a computer programmer and as an entertainment business manager. Specifics about her employers, her education, and other job roles have not been disclosed.
In her later years, Elliott’s mother devoted herself to being a grandmother to her two grandchildren, Garrett and Riley Alexander.
Kathleen’s Passing in 2014
She died on August 14, 2014. At the time, she was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The exact cause of her death has not been made public, and Brooke has not spoken about her mother’s passing in public.
In an interview with Medium, Brooke said she was “very very very close to her mother.” She explained that their lives were deeply connected and described herself as fortunate to have had her — calling the loss unbearable.
Brooke has said that her close relationship with Kathleen was one reason she signed on to Nesting Doll, and Kathleen was a major source of support when Brooke was struggling to establish herself as an actress.
