Pells, Harry J., 1898-1991
Person
Born in Russia. Owned HArry J. Pells insurance Agency. Buried in Los Angeles, CA.
Obituary - Rocky Mountain News (CO) - April 13, 1991
Deceased Name: HARRY J. PELLS, JEWISH LEADER, DIES AT 92
Harry J. Pells, former insurance businessman and leader in the Denver Jewish community, died March 31 in Los Angeles. He was 92.
Services have been held.
A Russian immigrant, Mr. Pells started the Harry J. Pells Insurance Agency in Denver in the late 1920s after moving here from Kansas City, Mo. He was president of the General Agents and Managers Association in 1963 when he helped pass Colorado's insurance-licensing legislation.
He retired in 1968 and moved to California.
Mr. Pells was active in numerous Jewish causes, serving as president of Congregation Rodef Shalom and B'nai B'rith Denver Lodge 141. He was an organizer and officer of the Jewish Community Center, a charter member and commander of the Jewish War Veteran Post 342 in Denver, and he helped collect arms for Israel in 1948.
He served in various capacities with the Allied Jewish Federation and was a director of the Guardians of the Home for the Jewish Aged in Los Angeles.
Mr. Pells served in the Army Tank Corps during World War I and the Marine Corps from 1919 to 1923 in the Dominican Campaign. He was a major in the Army Air Transport Command during World War II.
A trustee of American Legion Post 1 in Denver, Mr. Pells was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Columbine Lodge 147 AF&AM and El Jebel Shrine Temple.
His survivors include two sons, Joseph and David of Denver; a daughter, Betty Lee Hahn of Denver; a brother, Alvin Pelofsky of Kansas City; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Harry J. Pells, former insurance businessman and leader in the Denver Jewish community, died March 31 in Los Angeles. He was 92.
Services have been held.
A Russian immigrant, Mr. Pells started the Harry J. Pells Insurance Agency in Denver in the late 1920s after moving here from Kansas City, Mo. He was president of the General Agents and Managers Association in 1963 when he helped pass Colorado's insurance-licensing legislation.
He retired in 1968 and moved to California.
Mr. Pells was active in numerous Jewish causes, serving as president of Congregation Rodef Shalom and B'nai B'rith Denver Lodge 141. He was an organizer and officer of the Jewish Community Center, a charter member and commander of the Jewish War Veteran Post 342 in Denver, and he helped collect arms for Israel in 1948.
He served in various capacities with the Allied Jewish Federation and was a director of the Guardians of the Home for the Jewish Aged in Los Angeles.
Mr. Pells served in the Army Tank Corps during World War I and the Marine Corps from 1919 to 1923 in the Dominican Campaign. He was a major in the Army Air Transport Command during World War II.
A trustee of American Legion Post 1 in Denver, Mr. Pells was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Columbine Lodge 147 AF&AM and El Jebel Shrine Temple.
His survivors include two sons, Joseph and David of Denver; a daughter, Betty Lee Hahn of Denver; a brother, Alvin Pelofsky of Kansas City; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Found in 12 Collections and/or Records:
Allied Study Tour to Israel and Europe, 1963
File
Identifier: B328.01.0001.0003
Scope and Contents
Collection is broken into 4 sections: Military Records, 1918-1985;
Tide of Toys Scrapbook, 1950-1951; Allied Study Tour to Israel and Europe, 1963; and Miscellaneous Papers and Ephemera, 1942-1986.
B'nai B'rith Membership Campaign, 1934
Item
Identifier: B063.04.0004.00010
Overview
B'nai B'rith Membership Campaign workers at a meeting. Included in the photograph are Harry J. Pells, Louis A. Hellerstein, Samuel S. Ginsberg, and Isadore Greenblatt.
Denver Legion Tide of Toys, 1950
Item
Identifier: B063.05.0005.00056
Overview
Thomas Fitzgerald, left; Harry J. Pells, back; and General Eisenhower, right with several unidentified children holding toys at the first contribution to the Denver Legion Tide of Toys. The children are all from the National Home for Jewish Children.
Harry Pells at the Wailing Wall, 1963 October
Item
Identifier: B063.08.0039.00033
Overview
Harry Pells stands beside the Wailing Wall depositing a prayer during an AFJ trip to Jerusalem, Israel.
Harry Pells in Uniform, circa 1980
Item
Identifier: B063.08.0008.00025
Overview
Harry Pells stands in his Marine Corp uniform pointing to a wall of framed discharge papers and photographs. Harry made Quartermaster Sergeant in the Marine Corp before age 21. He is pointing to his Marine Corp discharge. His hand covers a U.S. Army discharge from W.W.II. US Airforce discharge at right. Cigar smoker in the middle is Louis Pells, Harry's brother, of Kansas City, Missouri who served in the US Marines WWII. Lower left partial picture is of Harry J. Pells taken December 1918 in US...
Harry Pells on an Israel Tour, 1963 October 6
Item
Identifier: B063.05.0038.00026
Overview
Harry Pells sits astride a camel with his tour guide Moshe Ingbor at Beersheba while on an AJF tour in Israel.
Harry Pells Papers
Collection
Identifier: B328
Overview
Harry Pells was Jewish businessman in Denver, CO. He owned and operated an insurance agency and was an active marine. Harry Pells enlisted in the Army in both WWI and WWII. He was later involved in veterans’ organizations, such as the Jewish War Veterans and the American Legion where he organized a toy drive that sent over 50,000 toys to Europe. Collection contains personal papers, news clippings, pamphlets and, a newsletter related to Harry Pells from 1918 through 1986.
Found in:
Special Collections and Archives
/
Harry Pells Papers
Initiation of Milton Anfenger Class, 1940 December 13
Item
Identifier: B063.04.0004.00040
Overview
Thirteen men pose together in tuxedos at the Initiation of Milton Anfenger Class 170. Back row left to right: S. Frazin, Secy.; Sid Schwartz, Guardian; L. Heilerstein, Trustee; H. Levine; S. Shuteran, monitor; H. Pells, Asst. Monitor; and Ike Mellman, warden. Front row left to right: A. B. Hirschfeld, treas; Si Quiat; Dr. Ed. Silverberg, Pres.; M. L. Anfenger, trustee; Ade Gertz, V-Pres; and Noah Atler, trustee.
Military Records, 1918-1985
File
Identifier: B328.01.0001.0001
Scope and Contents
Collection is broken into 4 sections: Military Records, 1918-1985;
Tide of Toys Scrapbook, 1950-1951; Allied Study Tour to Israel and Europe, 1963; and Miscellaneous Papers and Ephemera, 1942-1986.
Miscellaneous Papers and Ephemera, 1942-1986
File
Identifier: B328.01.0001.0004
Scope and Contents
Collection is broken into 4 sections: Military Records, 1918-1985;
Tide of Toys Scrapbook, 1950-1951; Allied Study Tour to Israel and Europe, 1963; and Miscellaneous Papers and Ephemera, 1942-1986.