On October 22, Max Geller of Baltimore at 97. He is survived by wife Joyce Overbeck-Geller (née Snyder); children Susan (Asher) Hershkowitz, Ruth (Frank) Vernet, Irene (Greg) Hale, Judith Geller and Ronald (Sarah) Geller; stepchildren Stuart Galonoy and Morry Galonoy (Dennis Yuen); 12 grandchildren (Alexander, David, Naftali, Shmuel Dovid, Aron Hirsch, Moshe, Noah, Sam, Talya, Rebekah, Rachel and Alyssa); and 21 great-grandchildren. He was previously married to Charlotte Geller (née Notkoff). He was predeceased by parents Rebecca and Israel Geller; and siblings Estelle Postar, Sidney Geller, Rose Gouse and Herman Geller.
Max was a talented musician who delighted his family and Baltimore audiences with his clarinet, saxophone and harmonica. As a child, his harmonica performance of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” earned him the title of Harmonica Champion of New York City and a medal awarded by then-mayor Fiorello La Guardia. He was a brilliant clarinetist and saxophonist whose repertoire included jazz, classical and klezmer. He was a member of Charm City Klezmer for 15 years and performed on television, radio, at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and with ensembles around Baltimore. He continued to play his harmonica until days before his death.
Contributions in his memory may be sent to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
