Born in New York, NY on June 8, 1934, Elise was the daughter of Stephen and Jeanette Karas, and sister to Renata Karas. Elise graduated from the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, NY in 1951 and Mount Holyoke College in 1955.  She earned a master's degree in microbiology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1961, and she pursued a PhD at the George Washington University and SUNY-Buffalo from 1962 through 1966. Elise also spent time as a research assistant at the Rockefeller Institute and an editorial assistant at Scientific American. Elise married James D. Kenney in July 1963. After spending a year in London, England, Elise and Jim relocated from Buffalo, NY to North Haven, CT where they made their home until Elise moved in 2018.  Elise began volunteering at the Yale University Art Gallery, where her long-term, but less nurtured passion for art won out over science. Spending most of her time in the prints and drawings department, Elise found a second family at YUAG.  She worked as a free-lance editor of several catalogs and other academic work related to art history, and in 1988 she earned a second master's degree from Wesleyan University in Liberal Studies with a focus on art history.  Elise's careful eye, tireless work ethic, and gracious nature helped bring excellence to all exhibits and publications at several art galleries. With the support of her alma mater in 1989, Elise curated and exhibited her first show on Tiepolo's Rest on the Flight to Egypt. In 1991, Mount Holyoke's Art Museum published Elise's research on "The Pear: French Graphic Arts in the Golden Age of Caricature." Elise retired in May 2018 as the first ever Archivist for Yale's Art Gallery.

Elise is survived by her son, Christopher and daughter, Anne; her daughter-in-law, Kathryn Lawson Kenney, and son-in-law, V. Ming Lew; her grandchildren Frances, Winifred, Oliver, and Lucy.  In addition to her immediate family, she will be missed by the many friends gathered around the table on Friday nights at "Kenneyville."

In lieu of flowers, donations in Elise's memory may be sent to the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, Animal Haven in North Haven, CT or to an organization of your choice.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Blessed Michael McGivney Parish at St. Mary's Church, 5 Hillhouse Ave. New Haven on Wednesday, December 27 at 10:00am. Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln Memorial, New Haven.