Eleanor Muriel (Sussman) Kelman
October 2, 1923 – January 11, 2022
Eleanor (Ellie) Kelman (98) died gently January 11, 2022, at Newbridge-on-the-Charles Health Care Center in Dedham, MA, where she had been resident for the past two years. She leaves her three children: Sara Kelman (husband Geoffrey Brandner) of Danbury, CT; Sue Kelman of Waltham, MA; and Dr. Jonathan Kelman (wife Pamela Boardman) of Lincoln, MA. She also leaves three beloved granddaughters: Alison Boardman Kelman, Elizabeth Boardman Kelman, and Emily Boardman Kelman.
Although Eleanor was born in the Bronx, her lifetime was spent in Wallingford, CT where she lived with her sister, Carol Sussman, MSW, who died in 2001, and their parents Anna (Rodensky) and Meyer (Mike) Sussman, all of whom predeceased her. Anna’s family emigrated from the village of Michalishek in Russia. Mike’s family emigrated from Sobotnick, also in the area of Russia/Poland.
Eleanor graduated from Lyman Hall High School, then attended the University of Missouri and subsequently the University of Minnesota, from which she received her BA degree in Journalism. Eleanor went back to school after she retired to earn a Master’s degree in Archival Librarianship and worked at the New Haven Historical Society.
Eleanor and Gil were introduced to each other by Mike Sussman. Eleanor was considering the University of Missouri and her father knew that Gil had some useful advice about the college.
They were married three times in 1945: first by a justice-of-the-peace in Wallingford; second by their good friend Rev. John Walbridge of the town’s First Congregational Church; third by the Rabbi from Beth Israel Synagogue. They remained married for 70 years until Gil’s death in 2015.
In 1948, Eleanor and Gil founded the award-winning weekly newspaper The Wallingford Post where they shared the roles of editor and publisher for over 40 years. They were a team, overseeing all aspects of the paper’s production from writing, editing, and photography, to printing, advertising, and distribution. They passed on to many others their love for Wallingford and their passion for a life in the news.
In the mid-1990s, the Kelmans sold the house they had built on Grieb Road in 1949. It was a modern wonder designed by fellow Wallingford native, the architect Peter Powers Hale. They bought a waterfront house built around 1773 in Stony Creek, CT (Branford), and had a great time restoring it to its former glory. From there, Eleanor pursued her passions as a gardener, fine cook, and great hostess, while Gil became an expert fisherman and lobsterman who loved to be on the water. Like their home on Grieb Road, the Stony Creek house was the locus for great conversation, political debate, and appreciation of the arts in all its forms.
Eleanor was devoted to the pursuit of excellence in journalism and deeply believed in the responsibilities of citizenship. She was always on top of the news even in recent days. She was a sports fan (mostly baseball), an avid reader, and opera lover. Her homemade paella and linguini with clam sauce were legendary.
Gifts in her memory may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org) and to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA www.aspca.org). Due to the limitations imposed by Covid 19, there will be no funeral or memorial service at this time. The family hopes to plan a memorial get-together later this year.