Obituary: Dr. Ilona Engel

May 1932 – July 26, 2026 

August 11, 2026

Dr. Ilona Engel. 1932-2026

Dr. Ilona Engel passed away at age 94 on July 26, 2026.

Ilona was born in May 1932 in Danzig, Poland, and emigrated to the United States in 1941. She attended local schools near Estell Manor, New Jersey, and won a scholarship to Vassar College, where she majored in psychology. She later received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

Ilona spent most of her professional life working in the psychiatric and medical research environment of University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University.

In 1974 she married Dr. Randall Travis, a physician and longtime Case Western Reserve faculty member. Besides medical research, Ilona loved the arts and traveling. After getting her Ph.D., she embarked on a long trip by ship and airplane to Ceylon, Greece and Israel. In later years she also traveled to Australia, New Zealand and many countries in Europe.

After retiring from Case Western, Ilona joined her husband in Waterbury, Vermont, where they lived for many happy years involved in outdoor sports, community activities and arts projects. Ilona returned to Cleveland in 2015 with Randy to live in the Judson Manor retirement home, where Randy died in November 2022. 

Ilona is survived by her stepchildren, Randy Travis Jr. and Laura Travis; by her nieces Karen Engel and Judy Marzilona, and her nephew Paul Engel, as well as by many second cousins.

A celebration of Ilona's life was held on August 5. Those who wish may donate in Ilona's honor to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.