Michael E. Gellert (In Memoriam 1931-2021)

Human Rights Watch mourns the passing of Michael E. Gellert on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Mr. Gellert was born June 15, 1931 in Prague, Czechoslovakia to Oswald Gellert and Greta (Petschek) Gellert. After emigrating to the United States, he graduated from Harvard College, served in the US Army, and received his MBA from the Wharton School. His business career began at Burnham and Company and he remained a partner of successor Drexel Burham Lambert for over four decades. He founded Windcrest Partners in 1967 as a private investment vehicle. Through his career he served on the boards of Humana, Devon Energy, Seacor Holdings, Six Flags, Regal Cinemas, and many private companies. He was a dedicated philanthropist whose board involvements included the Carnegie Institution for Science, Human Rights Watch, The New School for Social Research, Caramoor, Brunswick School, and several others. He participated actively in alumni affairs at Harvard University, from which he was awarded the Harvard Medal in 2015. In 2000 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; he was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He will forever be remembered for his intellect, wit, generosity, and ever present smile; his commitment to a just and humane world at peace will continue to inspire us. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary (Crombie) Gellert of New York, NY; son and daughter-in-law, John and Samantha (Topping) of Park City, Utah and their children Michael, Alexandra, Felix; daughter Catherine "Kate" of New York, NY. He is also survived by his siblings Martin F. of Washington, DC, Hubert J. of Anchorage, Alaska and Catherine G. Ross of New York, as well as numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces.