Henry Kalman “Kelly” Beller

Henry Kalman “Kelly” Beller passed away on Saturday, December 20th, 2025, at the age of 91. He is survived by his loving children, Michael Beller (Karen Paulson), Elise Beller (Miik Dinko), Jesse Beller (Nava Szwergold), and Charles Beller (Megan Wobus); his adoring grandchildren, Emily Beller, Kiva Beller, Lazar Beller, and Wally Beller-Szwergold; and his former spouses, Ceidlen Beller and Renee Dreyfus. He was predeceased by his dear parents, Fannie and Charles Beller.

Kelly was born in Brooklyn in 1934 where his parents had a business making curtains, drapes, and interior decoration. He studied psychology in Worcester and Boston, held teaching positions at Eugene OR and SUNY Brockport, and then worked as a clinical psychologist at the Rochester Psychiatric Center, where he cared for aging patients. After retirement he both taught and took classes at the Athenaeum at RIT.

Kelly was an avid folk singer, folk dancer, and musician with a strong preference for group participation, an encyclopedic repertoire of songs, and a performance range that included Carnegie Recital Hall, a regular gig singing off-color songs in a Manhattan bar, and the sacred music of the synagogue. Like his approach to music, his relationship to his Jewish practice emphasized community, active group participation, and life-long learning. He was an enthusiastic Havurahnik, participated in Havurah Institute for many years where he took classes, taught workshops and led songs, he organized several local havurot in Rochester, he sang with the Rochester Jewish Chorale, and over the years was a member at BHBI, Temple Beth El, and Temple Beth David.

Kelly had a lively sense of playfulness and loved to tell a joke, and he was especially fond of puns and word play. He was fascinated by word origins and etymologies, and rarely missed an opportunity to make use of a dictionary. He loved to play games, and was an especially sharp player of chess, scrabble, and cribbage. He was always on the lookout for new and interesting ideas, foods, music, and experiences.

He was well loved and will be fondly remembered. We miss him. May his memory be a blessing.

Services at Brighton Memorial Chapel in Rochester, NY, on Wednesday, December 24th, 2025, at 10 am. For those unable to attend in person, please CLICK HERE to Livestream the service.

Interment at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Please omit flowers. Contributions in his memory may be sent to National Havurah Committee, 31615 Raegans Way, Millville, DE 19967 [Donate Online]

The family will be in mourning at home in Baltimore and Takoma Park.

Shiva services in Baltimore at the Beller-Wobus home 3141 Abell Ave will be Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday evening at 7pm and Friday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday morning at 8am.

Shiva services in Takoma Park at the Beller-Szwergold home 7106 Maple Ave #1, Friday morning at 8 am, Sunday and Monday evening at 6:30 pm, and Tuesday morning at 8 am.