MEMORIST:            BESS CENTER

INTERVIEWER:     GAIL ROBINSON

DATE:                     1997

LOCATION:            SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

Transcript (PDF)

Biography

Bess’ father was from Moscow and moved to Savannah in 1905. He met Bess’ mother and got married in 1911, In 1912, Bess was born in Savannah, GA. She moved to New York for a short time, but ultimately moved back to Savannah. Soon after she moved back, she married and had two children. Her husband was a doctor in the military. Originally he was stationed at Fort Screven on Tybee Island but transferred to New Orleans then Waco, Texas and then Tuscaloosa, Alabama. When the war was over, he left the military and went into private practice in Savannah.

Bess lived in Savannah and raised her children. Later in her life, she moved into The Landings and continued to stay active, teaching exercise classes at the JEA and at The Landings. She also worked as a docent at the synagogue downtown, Mickve Israel.

Scope of the Interview

Bess recounts the story of her life from her home in Savannah, Georgia. Her parents met in Savannah and she was born one year after they were married. She doesn’t talk much about growing up, but moved to New York for a short time. After moving back to Savannah and getting married, they both moved a bit but ended up in Savannah.