Ileen Schnider Kelner

ILEEN KELNER (nee Schnider), age 82, died July 1, 2017. Beloved wife of the late Marvin Kelner; devoted mother of Paul Kelner, David Kelner and Matthew (Bela) Kelner of Hartford, CT; loving grandmother of Maia Kelner, Nick (Tera) Kelner, Joe Kelner, Danielle Kelner and Dylan Kelner; dear sister of Renee (Albert) Sattin of Los Angeles. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 5 at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, 23737 Fairmount Blvd., Beachwood at 11 AM. Interment will take place in Mt. Olive Cemetery. Family and friends will be received at Fairmount Temple. WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING BURIAL UNTIL 7 PM AND THURSDAY (HOURS TO BE DETERMINED). Contributions in Ileen’s memory are suggested to Fairmount Temple (www.fairmounttemple.org) or to the Beachwood Arts Council (www.beachwoodarts.org). Arrangements under the direction of BERKOWITZ-KUMIN-BOOKATZ MEMORIAL CHAPEL (800) 448-2210 _______________________________________________ Ileen Kelner was born June 20, 1935 in Cleveland. Along with her father, George (a tailor specializing in women’s clothing), her mother, Rose (a homemaker in the true sense of the word) and her sister, Renee…who came along a few years later – they fit together like puzzle pieces – a puzzle that, when completed spelled ‘F- A -M-I-L-Y’. Indeed, throughout her life, she cherished her role as daughter, sister, mother and grandmother – and like anything else she valued – its influence upon her words and actions was readily apparent. Retrospectively – it is fairly easy to discern that in addition to family, ‘love’ and ‘service’ were among her brightest guiding lights. Although she rarely spoke about such things, her priorities and values were evident by the way she lived – in her vocabulary, ‘love’, ‘family’ and ‘service’ were verbs more then anything else… Along with her husband, Marvin, and her first – born child, Paul, she moved to Beachwood in 1965. Their house on Maidstone Lane, served as a hub of activity, a Resturant, a retreat, a second home and numerous other roles – including its current manifestation as a family meeting place and library for writing and reflection, conducive to writing what you are currently reading. Not only did Ileen’s home function as a multi – purpose residence, Ileen herself played a myriad of roles throughout the fifty plus years during which she lived there. Space limitations prevent a comprehensive account of the ‘parts’ she played throughout her life, but some of the highlights include, a mom to 3 of her own children and countless other people who crossed her path, a champion of the arts in Beachwood – especially through her involvement and leadership of the Beachwood Arts Council for more then two decades, her long time involvement with the PTA and related organizations, her involvement with the local and national theaters, the two days of the year – designated as ‘Ileen Kelner Days’ in the city of Beachwood, the always interesting and occasionally demanding role as the wife of Marvin, her involvement for almost fifty years as a member of the Anshe Chesed congregation - including numerous leadership roles, her gracing the cover of the Beachwood Buzz as ‘Mrs. Beachwood’, indeed one of her proudest accomplishments – sharing the cover with her ‘megabeagle’ Amos, who she walked religiously for about five miles a day, including winter (Amos plans to write a biopic of their life together at some point in the future)…and finally as a lover and patron of music of all kinds, especially when it involved her oldest son, Paul….. Only within the last few years, did she finally start slowing down. Not by choice…but by being diagnosed with ALS. Even with this diagnosis, she remained active until the end…..just two weeks before her death, traveling with other Stone Garden residents to listen to an outdoor concert at the Beachwood Pool. As noted above, the activities and roles described previously, are just a fraction of the myriad of experiences, roles, positions and parts she was involved in, throughout her life. A well known book, often referenced at these times, discusses the symbolism of the the ‘dash’ that appears between one’s date of birth and date of death on the grave marker, and in other places associated with the individual….not only did Ileen Kelner live a Life….worthy of that ‘dash’, but a life that requires more then one dash, between the date of birth and date of death, which serve as bookends for the dash(es) in between. Many people, when asked about their goals and aspirations in life, respond with the somewhat cliched statements that in various ways say that they want to make a difference in people’s lives, leave the world a better place then it was before, have little or no regrets, and/or live in a manner consistent with their priorities and values….. Although it is unlikely that Ileen, because of her level of humility, would have responded to such a question, in this way – she accomplished all these things and more. She lived with a remarkable level of gratitude for the people, places and things in her life. During her life, she certainly made it easier for those who knew her to be grateful for the people in their lives – we can only hope that our legacies do the same for those who crossed our paths as we lived our lives… _______________________________________________ Copied from the September 2014 issue of the Beachwood Buzz Magazine "MRS. BEACHWOOD" Just call Ileen Kelner “Mrs. Beachwood.” This moniker is not something Kelner invented for herself. The half-century Beachwood resident earned the nickname through decades of involvement in the community she adores. A spirited and energetic 79-year-old, Kelner has immersed herself in Beachwood, whether it’s through her tireless volunteering with a wide range of organizations or kibitzing with neighbors on Maidstone Lane while taking her dog for his twice-daily hour’s walk. Kelner was not born in Beachwood but may as well have been. A native of Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, she moved to the suburb from Richmond Heights with husband Marvin when she was pregnant with her third child. So began an unstinting devotion to the community that continues to this day. Having three boys attending Beachwood schools, the local parent-teacher association was Kelner’s first foray into activism. She became president of the Fairmount Elementary School PTA, moving on to a co-presidency of the high-school association during the ‘70s. Among other initiatives she helped organize, Kelner ushered in Beachwood High School’s first college fair. “I wanted to play a part in shaping my kids’ education,” Kelner says. “I enjoyed being in the middle of what was happening with the schools.” During this time she also returned to work, using her past experience as an administrative assistant for the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and other organizations to become secretary of the high school’s guidance office. She still has an attachment to the schools, substitutes in various buildings and also gets together with retirees from time to time. Having a full-time job didn’t stop Kelner from chasing additional volunteer opportunities. One of them was the Beachwood Arts Council, a nonprofit that has supported the arts in Northeast Ohio since 1964. While not an artist herself, Kelner has always appreciated the pursuit, whether hung on a wall or acted onstage. As president of the arts council for nine years, she was part of coordinating a juried art show for high-school students and setting up a scholarship fund for area high-school seniors in the name of organization co-founder, the late Si Wachsberger. She took classes offered by the council, learning about glass blowing and art installation. “Growing up I took dancing lessons and played piano,” says Kelner. “With the council I got a real education in art.” Kelner feels the future of the organization is bright, saying, “The Beachwood Arts Council is moving forward in a positive way by enlisting the help of younger board members. A sponsorship program is also being created to increase funds for the Si Wachsberger Scholarship fund and to expand and enhance programming.” Religion has been another major aspect of her life in Beachwood. Kelner and her family joined Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, where she became active with the reform synagogue’s women’s group. She has had two stints as president, heading such philanthropic projects as making lap robes for nursing homes, dolls for abused children and alphabet/number books for visually impaired preschool children at the Cleveland Sight Center. “The Women of Fairmount Temple are working hard to provide additional programming to accommodate women’s changing roles by adding a monthly study group to learn about ‘Women of the Bible’. We are also coordinating two programs with our religious school to benefit the students. We have a great year coming up.” Kelner told us. Kelner’s leadership tenure saw her become a bat mitzvah, which still stands as one of the proudest accomplishments of her adulthood. She studied Hebrew for nine months with a group of like-minded individuals, finally stepping to the bima (pulpit) to culminate the experience. “It was a heart-warming moment,” says Kelner. The lively Beachwood resident tries to make each day one of fulfillment, volunteerism and activity. Kelner usually starts with 20 minutes of stretching or push-ups, sometimes heading to the gym for a morning water-aerobics class. Next is a long walk through the neighborhood with her 5-year-old beagle, Amos, who she rescued from the the Animal Protective League when he was two months old after not having a dog for 10 years. After her walk, which provides opportunities to make friends with several Beachwood neighbors, her day truly begins. Kelner can be found in more meetings than your typical corporate executive, be it helping to coordinate programming for her synagogue’s religious school or finding sponsors for an upcoming arts council event. During the evenings, she may attend another meeting or enjoy a poolside concert at the Beachwood Family Aquatic Center with one of the many friends she’s made over the years. Two of those friends are Phyllis and Joe Kalk, who became close with Kelner as members of the Beachwood Arts Council. The Kalks don’t know where their longtime pal gets her boundless energy, but even after knowing her for decades, they are still impressed by her work ethic and dedication. “She’s a human dynamo,” says Joe. “It takes three of us (at the council) to do the work Ileen does in one day.” When the council struggled after a number of founding members died, it was Kelner who attracted new members and generally kept the operation going. “She was the glue that held the whole thing together,” says Phyllis. “When she takes on a job, she’s totally devoted.” Kelner loves being active, especially when it involves being in the company of others. Companionship was particularly important after her husband died in 2011, and now Kelner is hardly ever home, unless it’s to meet with her sons and five grandchildren or bake cakes and cookies for organizational events. She says, “My continued involvement in all the areas makes me feel good and keeps me in touch with many friends I have and continue to make during this journey.” As for the title of “Mrs. Beachwood,” Kelner can live with a nickname that encompasses all of what the community means to her. “Why not?” she asks. “It’s kept me in touch with all the great people I’ve met.” Sometimes Kelner will field questions from folks who wonder where she gets her energy. Her answer is actually fairly simple: “They ask me how I do it, but I tell them that’s just me,” Kelner explains. “I enjoy life and try to make the most if it.”