Eric Kjellmark Jr., OperaDelaware director

Eric William Kjellmark Jr. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., died Monday, Nov. 4, 2013, after a lengthy illness.

Eric, the son of the late Eric William Kjellmark and Anna Fogelstrom Kjellmark, was born in New Rochelle, N.Y., May 14, l928. Eric is survived by his partner of 45 year, Gino (Salvatore) Palermo of Ft. Lauderdale; his sister Charlotte A. Kjellmark of Lewes; His brother Douglass W. Kjellmark of Pleasantville, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Eric received a bachelor of chemical engineering degree from Cornell University; served two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War; and worked at E.I. DuPont de Nemours for 32 years as chemical engineer and manager of marketing planning. Eric's passion was helping promote opera in America. He not only was general director of OperaDelaware and treasurer/VP of Wilmington Delaware's Grand Opera House, but also served on the board of directors for OPERA America. He was a recipient of the W. W. Laird Award and a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Alpha Chi Sigma and Gammu Mu Social Fraternity. A number of years after retiring, Eric and his partner, Gino, moved from Wilmington and Arlington, Va. to Ft. Lauderdale, where they enjoyed years of traveling together to Europe, taking numerous cruises, attending Gamma Mu events nationwide and entertaining friends at their home.

Eric's funeral will be held Saturday, Nov. l6, at 3 p.m., at St. Martin Episcopal Church, 140 SE 28th Ave., Pompano Beach, Fla. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Tuesday's Angel, the Gamma Mu Foundation or OperaDelaware.