GARDINER – Col. Ret. Manfred Kelman died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004, at his home. Col. Kelman was born in Bremen, Germany, the son of Solomon and Hanni Kelman. After surviving Theresienstadt Concentration Camp in Czechoslovakia, Kelman traveled to the United States with his mother. He joined the Army in 1947, and began a 36-year career. After six years of enlisted service he graduated from the Infantry Officer’s Candidate School in Ft. Benning, Ga. He served as a Company Commander in the 7th Infantry Division in Korea, Battalion Commander, 1st Bn, 505th Airborne Infantry Bn, Vietnam, Battalion Commander, 1st Bn, 503rd Airborne Infantry, 101st Airborne Div., Ft. Campbell, Ky., Brigade Commander, 3rd BCT Bde., Ft. Dix, N.J., Defense and Army Attache, Bern, Switzerland, and the Senior Army Advisor of the Maine National Guard at Camp Keyes in Augusta. Col. Kelman was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor and Oak Leaf Cluster for his service in Vietnam. He was a master parachutist. He received a master’s degree from Shippensburgh State College in Pennsylvania, and attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. Col. Kelman was active in the community, a member of the Gardiner Rotary (a Paul Harris Fellow). Kelman lectured extensively in Maine schools for the Holocaust Human Rights Center of Maine to further human rights issues. He is survived by his wife, Janice (Dill) Kelman of Gardiner; and children, Jean Kelman of St. Louis, Mo., Linda Kelman Buckley of West Gardiner, Laura, Vicki and Kim Dill of West Gardiner, Cindy Dill Dirusso of Boston, Mass., Bobby and Debbie Dill of Farmingdale; grandchildren, Ronnie and Debbie of Boston, Mass., Jessica of Boston, Mass., Patrick, Emily, Eben and Evertt of West Gardiner, Melissa and Anna of Farmingdale, Gunther and Lee Egberts of Topsham, Birgitt and Wolfgang Kalless of Bremen, Germany. Visiting hours will be 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Staples Funeral Home, in Gardiner. Service to be held 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004, at Staples Funeral Home. Donations may be made to the Gardiner Rotary Club and the Holocaust Human Rights Center of Maine.
COL. RET. MANFRED KELMAN
