Yellen Family Papers

Marc and Gay Yellen donated the materials for the collection, which primarily center around their father, Milton Yellen, and mother, Florence Kless Yellen.

Milton was born in Beaumont, in 1918. Milton Yellen’s father was Reverend Lazer Meyer Yellen, who served as the first religious leader in Beaumont. Milton’s mother died when he was 14, and he moved in with his older sister Libby and her husband Abram Geller. He played baseball for years and, though he had aspirations to be an engineer in his youth, pursued a career in dentistry at Lamar University, and then UT Dental in Houston. Milton practiced dentistry with the army in New Guinea from 1943 to 1944, before opening his own practice and later teaching at UT Dental.

Florence Kless Yellen was born in Houston, the oldest of 3 girls. She was a talented dancer and actor, and often performed solo or with her sister Ruby Lee when she was growing up. Florence was a Rice grad well-known for her civic works in the city and state, particularly her contributions as director of the Judaica Museum of Houston. Florence married Milton at the Women’s Club on Stratford in 1944.

Other members of the Yellen Family featured in the collection include Florence Kless Yellen's parents Celia Juran Kless and Herman Louis Kless (formerly Kleshevsky), Florence' grandfather Reverend Jacob Juran, and Milton’s father the Reverend Lazer Meyer Yellen. A family tree depicting the relationships between family members can be found in the control folder.

Florence’s mother, Celia Juran Kless, owned a baby supply shop called Camel Tot Shop, and ran it until the 1950s when she went to work for Craig’s. Celia married Herman Louis (Lou) Kless, whose employer changed his name from Kleshevsky after he fled conscription in Russia, sailed on the Lusitania, and received mechanical training with Cooper Union in New York City. Herman made his mark developing a drill bit for the oil industry.