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The family of James Kelly uploaded a photo
Thursday, February 26, 2015
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Brian Kent posted a condolence
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
To all of Jim's Family, I was a young, 19 year old coop student from Michigan State when I met Jim in 1977. We worked together closely in my early formal education, and Jim helped me learn about working in a real laboratory making real world measurements. We collaborated on several projects that were very successful. As I progressed in my career, culminating as the Acting Chief Technology Officer for the Air Force Research Laboratory, I never forgot those important early years in "the Barn", and with it Jim's interest and enthusiasm. He was a very good technician -- among the best I met over a career. He will not be forgotten. To his sons and daughters, he was a good man, a great patriot, and inspired excellence. He will be missed.
A
Anonymous posted a condolence
Friday, November 21, 2014
Good morning.
On behalf of our family, let me welcome you all here this morning and thank you for coming to celebrate Mass and honor Jim Kelly. His son and daughters and their husbands wrote his eulogy, and I'd like to share with you some of our remembrances.
Jim Kelly was an Irishman, as you can obviously tell by his last name. Born in Iowa to John Kelly and Margret Dalton, he was second generation Irish-American on both sides - from County Mayo, for those of you who know the country.
He was raised in Iowa with his two older brothers and two older sisters. Before moving to Sioux City for the 8th grade, Jim lived in the small town where he was born, Marcus, where his parents and 21 aunts and uncles could all keep an eye out for him. Jim was closest in age to, and shared a bedroom with, his brother Dick. In winter on the farm in Marcus, they would have to tunnel through the snow to get to the outhouse. (This was the 1930s.) Unless they didn't bother, and instead needed to replace the window screen in their bedroom after the spring thaw.
All of Jim's siblings served in various branches of the armed services - three of the four during WWII. So Jim eagerly joined the US Navy in 1948 and served for four years, mostly on the USS Albany, a heavy cruiser out of Norfolk VA. He literally joined the Navy and saw the world.
After his military service, Jim used his GI bill to attend DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago. The training he received there became the basis for his long career as an engineer. His sister Jean and her husband were still in the military and based at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. Jean, being the loving and generous big sister she was, invited him to come live with them, and he landed a job at Wright Patt.
Big sister Jean was a nurse and invited young, single Jim to come to a St Patrick's Day dance where there would be young available nurses. This is where he met a young Irish nurse, Mary O'Connor - who was actually from Ireland - who became his bride. They married and raised their four very Irish-named children: Sheila, Jean, Maura, and Sean in Kettering Ohio, near Dayton.
Having three girls first and then a boy, he taught and encouraged all of them that, girls too, can like and understand math and science, and love sports too. The kids were encouraged to do well in school, which, through a program with the Reds, provided free tickets for straight "A" grade achievement. Other sports enjoyment that Jim and Mary, and sometimes the kids, were able to enjoy for many years, were season tickets to University of Dayton basketball games.
It was important to Jim for his family to watch the various televised Gemini and Apollo rocket launches. It coincidently was Jim's birthday when men first landed on the moon.
Jim and Mary also gave their family wonderful opportunities and memories through travel. They went to Ireland several times, Iowa annually in the early years, took a memorable five-week driving vacation crossing the US and Canada, a trip to a very early Disney World, and to various beach destinations.
A favorite vacation story is his family's first trip to Ireland in 1965. Jim and Mary and their three daughters all went. (Sean wasn't born yet.) Jim flew a day after the others, and his mother-in-law, who never left the family farm, made the trek to Shannon Airport to take the full measure of this Irish-American son-in-law whom she had never met. He must've passed the test, because there was much celebratory drinking of adult beverages well into the night at the farm in County Kerry.
As a sports fan, for Jim, nothing eclipsed going to the Super Bowl in 1989 in Miami. He and Mary had been living in Florida for four years, and a friend had a ticket for him to see the Bengals play the 49ers. As many of you here might remember, it was a very tight game, but the Bengals ultimately fell victim to a come-from-behind touchdown with less than a minute to play. I only bring up that unfortunate fact because my own family had an addendum to this story. I'm originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and, after the game, my 49er-fan father cheekily sent Jim a video tape of the game. A year later, when Jean and I were in Florida visiting at Christmas, Jim rather brusquely thrust the tape at me and said "I don't need this!" or words to that effect.
Over the decades, Jim also had a running one-dollar bet on the annual major league baseball season with his brothers Dick and Joe. Jim took the Reds; Dick, still in Iowa, took the Yankees; and Joe, out west in San Jose, was a Giants fan. It was one well-traveled dollar bill.
Jim was the family photographer. He filmed with an 8mm camera, long before the time of video camera popularity. The ballet dance recitals of the girls, many Christmases and every parade in Kettering for 25 years were captured by Jim!
Jim's career supporting this family was at Wright Patt, where the family always joked that he fed the little green men. Martians were not his real secret. His real secret was stealth technology. His family did not get to know that he had worked on stealth technology with a Top Secret clearance for most of his career, until after he retired. If there's one thing that Jim would want you to know, it's that he was a "stealth pioneer." I imagine some, or many, of you already knew that. He was extremely proud of the work he did for the Air Force in developing stealth technologies. As he should be, as this was a Big Deal. How big? Well, many of you may remember the astronaut Gus Grissom. Before he became an astronaut, he was a test pilot, and he tested the designs that Jim worked on. If any of you went with Jim up to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, I bet you already knew this, too.
After almost 30 years at Wright Patt Jim retired and continued his career with Pratt & Whitney in Florida, for an additional 7 years. Simultaneous to his technology career, Jim also sold real estate, part time, in both Ohio and Florida.
When Jim and Mary moved to Florida, it was right after their son Sean's high school graduation. It was their first time as empty nesters. They enjoyed over 20 years of living in the sun and sand of Florida. They continued to enjoy their love of travel together, with several trips to Europe, a few cruises, and trips visiting family members.
About 9 years ago, Jim and Mary decided to move back to Ohio to be closer to their children, Sean and Sheila and Sheila's family. They loved their life in their condo in West Chester. It was the final chapter of their 54 year marriage. Mary passed away in 2012.
This is when Jim came to live at the Barrington in Oakley. He was blessed to make some very good friends with other residents and staff.
When Jim came to live at the Barrington, as many of you know, it was challenging time for him. But after a period of adjustment, it became a home for him. He became a bit of a rogue, scheming with Norm Howard to get a pool table for the residents; collaborating with Bill Susco to insist, successfully, that Wii bowling should be available as an everyday, and not a once-a-week, activity; and going on a joyride up to Dayton with Norm that lasted all day and then some. And he got a kick out of sharing his birthday with Betty Susco. He also came to be close to many of the staff. For example, Casey was "Dr. Casey" in his mind, and he was an honorary "Uncle Jim" to Nicky's son Nathan.
We know what good friends you all were to Jim at the Barrington and especially how you looked after him over the past several months. His family truly appreciates that.
Jim has now rejoined Mary, his siblings and parents who have all passed before him. They are all enjoying their Irish tea in the afternoon, and maybe some other Irish drinks in the evening. One of Jim and Mary's favorite drinks was a frozen grasshopper, which is like a shamrock shake, but with a kick. Serve them a grasshopper and they were like kids in a candy store. I'll be mixing up a batch tonight in their honor. But whatever they're drinking right now, they are looking down at us with smiles on their faces and a twinkle in their Irish eyes.
Our family invites you to join us for lunch following today's service so we all can remember Jim and lighten our hearts. We hope to see you at Sheila and Mike's house.
M
Mark and Marie Boyle posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
We are thinking of you . He was a wonderfully interesting person and surely an inspiration. So sorry for your loss. Hopefully your memories will carry you through this difficult time -- Mark, Marie, Scott, Steven and Kevin Boyle
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Susan Barnhouse-Gaston posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Your all in my thoughts & prayers. Your Dad has lived a very interesting and full life. I'm sure you have all been a blessing to him. May all the sweet memories surround you now and always.
S
Susan Barnhouse-Gaston posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Your all in my thoughts & prayers. Your Dad has lived a very interesting and full life. I'm sure you have all been a blessing to him. May all the sweet memories surround you now and always.
Kenwood
Thomas-Justin Memorial
Kenwood Chapel
7500 Montgomery Rd.
Cincinnati, Ohio
45236
Phone: (513) 791-5353
Fax: (513) 791-5004
Email: CLICK HERE
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Madisonville
Thomas-Justin Funeral Home
Madisonville Chapel
4418 Whetsel Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio
45227
Phone: (513) 271-0732
Fax: (513) 791-5004
Email: CLICK HERE