DADE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVIST LED ‘VERY FULL LIFE'
By: Gladys Amador
Allen Gene Zeller, an activist for the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County, died Thursday [February 16, 2005] after a battle with cancer. He was 54.
Zeller worked in many professions throughout his life, everything from modeling and public relations to managing a health club and being a campaign treasurer.
Born in Cleveland on Nov. 13, 1950, Zeller was one of six children. His father, Frank Feleppelle, owned a construction company, and his mother, Lola, was a homemaker.
He attended West Tech High School, where he was a member of the school's boxing and track teams.
In 1969, a year after graduating, he met Ray Zeller in Cleveland, and they became partners for the next 37 years. In 1973, he legally changed his name from Feleppelle to Zeller, and the two later moved to Atlanta.
"We lived a very full life," Ray Zeller said. ‘‘It was never boring."
One of their pets was a lioness, which they had to donate to a zoo when she got to be too big to handle, Zeller recalled.
During the disco craze, Allen Zeller was involved with naming, designing and building 3etly Beans, a disco roller rink in Atlanta during the 1970s. While there, he also managed Club South, a men's health club.
In the early 1980s, they moved to Miami, and Allen turned his interests to politics at the urging of a friend, John Campbell, a political activist who ran unsuccessfully for the state House.
Zeller joined the Democratic Party of Dade County and learned how to put on political campaigns from well-known local consultants Susan Fried and Charles Safdie, who were good friends with Zeller.
"He was extremely bright and outgoing," said Zeller's brother, Frank Feleppelle. ‘‘There's nothing he didn't try and didn't do welt. You could see that in how deeply involved in politics he was."
Zeller learned much of Democratic Party history through his friendship with Hugh Rodham, brother of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ray Zeller said.
Another mentor was Ginger Grossman, a longtime political activist who was involved in an organization called Kids in Dade Society. For the past 16 years, Allen and Ray Zeller headed a Christmas party for more than 500 children. The two also did the same for children from the Ronald McDonald House.
"I called him ‘the Mouth of the South,' " Ray Zeller said. He was very outspoken and was one of the most considerate people I have ever known."
Zeller's other passion was sports, and he was a season ticket holder to Miami Dolphins football games. He often went with his friend Rodham.
In addition to his life partner, his mother and brother, Zeller is survived by brothers Duane and Dennis and sisters Patricia and Alane.
By: Gladys Amador
Allen Gene Zeller, an activist for the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County, died Thursday [February 16, 2005] after a battle with cancer. He was 54.
Zeller worked in many professions throughout his life, everything from modeling and public relations to managing a health club and being a campaign treasurer.
Born in Cleveland on Nov. 13, 1950, Zeller was one of six children. His father, Frank Feleppelle, owned a construction company, and his mother, Lola, was a homemaker.
He attended West Tech High School, where he was a member of the school's boxing and track teams.
In 1969, a year after graduating, he met Ray Zeller in Cleveland, and they became partners for the next 37 years. In 1973, he legally changed his name from Feleppelle to Zeller, and the two later moved to Atlanta.
"We lived a very full life," Ray Zeller said. ‘‘It was never boring."
One of their pets was a lioness, which they had to donate to a zoo when she got to be too big to handle, Zeller recalled.
During the disco craze, Allen Zeller was involved with naming, designing and building 3etly Beans, a disco roller rink in Atlanta during the 1970s. While there, he also managed Club South, a men's health club.
In the early 1980s, they moved to Miami, and Allen turned his interests to politics at the urging of a friend, John Campbell, a political activist who ran unsuccessfully for the state House.
Zeller joined the Democratic Party of Dade County and learned how to put on political campaigns from well-known local consultants Susan Fried and Charles Safdie, who were good friends with Zeller.
"He was extremely bright and outgoing," said Zeller's brother, Frank Feleppelle. ‘‘There's nothing he didn't try and didn't do welt. You could see that in how deeply involved in politics he was."
Zeller learned much of Democratic Party history through his friendship with Hugh Rodham, brother of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ray Zeller said.
Another mentor was Ginger Grossman, a longtime political activist who was involved in an organization called Kids in Dade Society. For the past 16 years, Allen and Ray Zeller headed a Christmas party for more than 500 children. The two also did the same for children from the Ronald McDonald House.
"I called him ‘the Mouth of the South,' " Ray Zeller said. He was very outspoken and was one of the most considerate people I have ever known."
Zeller's other passion was sports, and he was a season ticket holder to Miami Dolphins football games. He often went with his friend Rodham.
In addition to his life partner, his mother and brother, Zeller is survived by brothers Duane and Dennis and sisters Patricia and Alane.
DADE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVIST LED ‘VERY FULL LIFE'
By: Gladys Amador
Allen Gene Zeller, an activist for the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County, died Thursday [February 16, 2005] after a battle with cancer. He was 54.
Zeller worked in many professions throughout his life, everything from modeling and public relations to managing a health club and being a campaign treasurer.
Born in Cleveland on Nov. 13, 1950, Zeller was one of six children. His father, Frank Feleppelle, owned a construction company, and his mother, Lola, was a homemaker.
He attended West Tech High School, where he was a member of the school's boxing and track teams.
In 1969, a year after graduating, he met Ray Zeller in Cleveland, and they became partners for the next 37 years. In 1973, he legally changed his name from Feleppelle to Zeller, and the two later moved to Atlanta.
"We lived a very full life," Ray Zeller said. ‘‘It was never boring."
One of their pets was a lioness, which they had to donate to a zoo when she got to be too big to handle, Zeller recalled.
During the disco craze, Allen Zeller was involved with naming, designing and building 3etly Beans, a disco roller rink in Atlanta during the 1970s. While there, he also managed Club South, a men's health club.
In the early 1980s, they moved to Miami, and Allen turned his interests to politics at the urging of a friend, John Campbell, a political activist who ran unsuccessfully for the state House.
Zeller joined the Democratic Party of Dade County and learned how to put on political campaigns from well-known local consultants Susan Fried and Charles Safdie, who were good friends with Zeller.
"He was extremely bright and outgoing," said Zeller's brother, Frank Feleppelle. ‘‘There's nothing he didn't try and didn't do welt. You could see that in how deeply involved in politics he was."
Zeller learned much of Democratic Party history through his friendship with Hugh Rodham, brother of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ray Zeller said.
Another mentor was Ginger Grossman, a longtime political activist who was involved in an organization called Kids in Dade Society. For the past 16 years, Allen and Ray Zeller headed a Christmas party for more than 500 children. The two also did the same for children from the Ronald McDonald House.
"I called him ‘the Mouth of the South,' " Ray Zeller said. He was very outspoken and was one of the most considerate people I have ever known."
Zeller's other passion was sports, and he was a season ticket holder to Miami Dolphins football games. He often went with his friend Rodham.
In addition to his life partner, his mother and brother, Zeller is survived by brothers Duane and Dennis and sisters Patricia and Alane.
By: Gladys Amador
Allen Gene Zeller, an activist for the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County, died Thursday [February 16, 2005] after a battle with cancer. He was 54.
Zeller worked in many professions throughout his life, everything from modeling and public relations to managing a health club and being a campaign treasurer.
Born in Cleveland on Nov. 13, 1950, Zeller was one of six children. His father, Frank Feleppelle, owned a construction company, and his mother, Lola, was a homemaker.
He attended West Tech High School, where he was a member of the school's boxing and track teams.
In 1969, a year after graduating, he met Ray Zeller in Cleveland, and they became partners for the next 37 years. In 1973, he legally changed his name from Feleppelle to Zeller, and the two later moved to Atlanta.
"We lived a very full life," Ray Zeller said. ‘‘It was never boring."
One of their pets was a lioness, which they had to donate to a zoo when she got to be too big to handle, Zeller recalled.
During the disco craze, Allen Zeller was involved with naming, designing and building 3etly Beans, a disco roller rink in Atlanta during the 1970s. While there, he also managed Club South, a men's health club.
In the early 1980s, they moved to Miami, and Allen turned his interests to politics at the urging of a friend, John Campbell, a political activist who ran unsuccessfully for the state House.
Zeller joined the Democratic Party of Dade County and learned how to put on political campaigns from well-known local consultants Susan Fried and Charles Safdie, who were good friends with Zeller.
"He was extremely bright and outgoing," said Zeller's brother, Frank Feleppelle. ‘‘There's nothing he didn't try and didn't do welt. You could see that in how deeply involved in politics he was."
Zeller learned much of Democratic Party history through his friendship with Hugh Rodham, brother of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ray Zeller said.
Another mentor was Ginger Grossman, a longtime political activist who was involved in an organization called Kids in Dade Society. For the past 16 years, Allen and Ray Zeller headed a Christmas party for more than 500 children. The two also did the same for children from the Ronald McDonald House.
"I called him ‘the Mouth of the South,' " Ray Zeller said. He was very outspoken and was one of the most considerate people I have ever known."
Zeller's other passion was sports, and he was a season ticket holder to Miami Dolphins football games. He often went with his friend Rodham.
In addition to his life partner, his mother and brother, Zeller is survived by brothers Duane and Dennis and sisters Patricia and Alane.
