Joseph R. Kelley

Born April 17, 1913 in Arlington, Mass., he was the son of Joseph and Mary (Ruane) Kelley.

He was a graduate of Stowe High School and a 1935 graduate of Tufts University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electricalengineering.

He married Patricia Daly on June 19, 1943 at St. Mary's Church in Glens Falls.
Upon his graduation, Joe worked as a surveyor in Massachusetts. He then worked for General Electric Co. in Schenectady for many years. He was employed as plant engineer at Portland Cement in Glens Falls until his retirement in the late 1970s.

Joe was a past officer of the Glens Falls Optimist Club and had served as treasurer for the Boy Scouts of America Troop 2 for many years. He had been a parishioner of St. Mary's Church in Glens Falls, St. Michael's Church in South Glens Falls and Church of the Holy Infancy in Lake Luzerne.

He loved his grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with them. He also enjoyed gardening, going for walks, especially his annual Thanksgiving walk with his children to "Nipper's Paradise" near the family home in South Glens Falls, and traveling to Wells, Maine. He was a gifted carpenter who built his home in South Glens Falls from the ground up. In 1991, Joe and Pat moved to Lake Luzerne.

He was predeceased by two sons, David Kelley and R. Christopher Kelley; and three brothers, Richard Kelley, William Kelley and James Kelley.

Survivors include his loving wife of 65 years, Patricia Kelley; two daughters, Mary R. Elms and her husband, Dennis, of Beaverton, Ore. and Patricia C. Iacobelli of Saratoga Springs; one son, Richard Kelley and his fiancée, Dana Little, of Argyle; eight grandchildren, Dennis Elms, Jason Elms, Michael Kelley, Kristin Kelley, Bryna May and her husband, Shawn, Thomas Iacobelli, Sean Iacobelli and Jordan Kelley; a daughter-in-law, Christine Kelley of Lowell, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends gathered on Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 at Brewer Funeral Home Inc., 24 Church St. in Lake Luzerne.

A funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 at Church of the Holy Infancy, Lake Luzerne, with the Rev. Paul Cox officiating. Burial followed at St. Mary's Cemetery in South Glens Falls.

Contributions in Joe's memory may be directed to the Open Door Soup Kitchen, 24 South St., Glens Falls, NY 12801, or to a charity of one's choice.