Melanie Bellah

Melanie Bellah May 16, 1928 - Sept. 2, 2010 After an extended illness Melanie returned home at her request on the morning of September 2. She was very happy to be at home and in the care of her husband of 61 years. Melanie Hyman was born in New Orleans but grew up mainly in Los Angeles. She was a brilliant student and editor of the Los Angeles High School daily newspaper. It was there that she met Robert Bellah who would later become her husband. But first Bob went into the army and then to Harvard and Melanie went to Stanford. After she graduated from Stanford Melanie went to Cambridge and married Bob where they lived for twenty years and had four daughters. In 1967 the family moved to Berkeley, where as in Cambridge they enjoyed a full life of art, music, conversation, politics, and, in the case of Melanie the continuation of a life of recreational ballet that had begun when she was a child. At the age of 40 she went to Boalt Hall (JD 1972), served as a clerk for a distinguished Federal Appeals Court judge, became a family law specialist, and practiced for some 15 years on her own. In addition to practicing family law, Melanie provided pro-bono services to a number of local community causes and was active in the Panoramic Hill Association's efforts to rationalize development on the nearby campus. Tragedy struck twice into this happy, active family with the deaths of two of the four sisters in their teens, Tammy in 1973 and Abby in 1976. They were never forgotten and the family knew well the dark side of life though never gave in to despair. Melanie is survived by her husband, Robert, two daughters, Jennifer Bellah Maguire and Hally Bellah-Guther, and five grandchildren. Melanie was raised in a secular Jewish family and always affirmed her loyalty to the Jewish people. For her, to do anything less would be to betray a heritage of suffering. But she was also drawn to aspects of Christianity, the theology of the cross in particular. She asked for a Christian memorial service in her husband's Episcopal parish church. She was especially drawn to Mozart, his religious music in particular, for she saw in Mozart a Christ-like figure. A Memorial service for her will be held in All Souls Episcopal Church, 2220 Cedar Street in Berkeley, on Tuesday, September 14 at 2:30 p.m. to be followed by a reception in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations to the Los Angeles Ballet c/o the Melanie Bellah Fund ( www.losangelesballet.org).