Ilhem Holbein (nee Eltaief), age 67 of Cleveland, formerly of Mentor, passed away March 12th, 2026. She was born July 15th, 1958 in Tunisia to the late Mohamed and Fatma Eltaief.
Ily enjoyed live music, the beach, boating, warm weather, the arts and her beloved dog “Cleo”. She loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Ily was the loving mother of Tara Holbein and Derek (Shu-Wei)) Holbein; cherished grandmother of Chance Pugh, and Alexander Holbein; beloved sister of Faisel (Alessandra) Eltaief, Samir (Sahla) Eltaief, and the late Sihem (Abdennour) Haboubi; aunt to many nieces and nephews.
The Holbein family would like to invite family and friends from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Saturday, April 4th, 2026 at Ily’s home at 17406 Nottingham Rd., Cleveland OH 44119. Memories and stories about Ily’s life will be shared at 4:00 PM.
Arrangements were entrusted to Jeff Monreal Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Painesville.
Reader interactions
4 Replies to “Ilhem Holbein (nee Eltaief)”
Many good memories of my chats with Ily. She was a fascinating woman and a great Nana to our shared grandson, Chance.
Tara, Chance, Derek, and Alexander: I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother and grandmother. I always knew I would find her up next to the stage at the City Stages events, dancing from start to finish of the concert. The light she exuded made up for the time I spent in that creepy Nottingham basement prepping and painting her kitchen cabinets. May that light continue to shine in all of your hearts.
To Derek, Tara, and your immediate and extended family and friends,
Please know how deeply sorry I am for your loss. There are truly no words that can express how heartbreaking it is that she is no longer here with you — or with all of us.
We would see each other whenever I came to Cleveland for Customer Service Week, and we would also connect from time to time by phone or Messenger. When I arrived in Cleveland on a Sunday, that day was always reserved just for the two of us. We would visit somewhere special, take a walk by the water, and enjoy dinner together.
Your mother was truly full of life — generous, attentive, and joyful. She loved music, good food, bright colors, laughter, and we shared a very similar sense of humor. It was so clear how deeply she loved her children and grandchildren. We often exchanged photos of our grandchildren, which was always a joy.
I will miss her immensely. I hope you are able to find comfort and strength in one another, knowing that she will never truly be gone as long as you remain connected and carry her love forward.
With sincere sympathy, Sophie Milette
I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Ily. I shared an office cube with her for years . She was one of the kindest persons I have ever met. She will be sorely missed.
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