The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Florence Kessel, 91, of Somerset, passed away peacefully on October 26 at Overlook Hospital in Summit.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, she later settled in Somerset, where she raised her family and became an active community member.
Florence attended New York Uuniversity and Montclair State College, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in history with a minor in music. She went on to earn two Master’s Degrees, one in History from Kean State College and another in Medical Anthropology from Rutgers University.
Her dedication to education was evident in her career as a teacher at the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva School in Highland Park, where she taught grades 4 through 6, inspiring countless young students. Additionally, Florence was an adjunct professor at Montclair State University and taught piano for over 45 years, sharing her love of music with generations of students.
A lifelong learner and avid reader, Florence viewed the world as a source of endless historical insight. She enjoyed traveling both domestically and internationally and spent years tracing her family’s genealogy back to the 1400s. Florence was a dedicated member of Temple Beth El in Somerset.
Florence was predeceased by her husband, Jerold, in 1995, her daughter, Lori Kessel-Powell, in 2020; and her brother, George Levy.
She is survived by her sons, Edward (Dana) Kessel of Rahway and Richard (Cynthia) Kessel of Charlottesville, Virginia; son-in-law, Alan Powell of Ventnor; seven grandchildren; Sarah, Sam, Nathan, Julianna, Emily, Samantha, and Kimmy, and one great-grandchild, Levi.
Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. October 30 at Beth El Cemetery in Paramus, under the care of Gleason Funeral Home in Somerset.
