July 27, 2023, James William Kelley, 100, passed away peacefully at home in Blowing Rock, NC, with his youngest son Kevin at his side. Upon walking outside on the deck right after dad's heart took its last beat, a harvest moon blazed through a misty sky and a framed area of tree foliage as two young gentlemen in a jeep, most likely prior service, brought their vehicle to a slow stop on the road and saluted the American flag that was mounted on a large oak tree in the front yard. Unknowingly, or maybe knowingly, the men were agents of God that evening, honoring dad after his final breath had expired. Early the next morning, a hummingbird was observed hovering above the deck through the rectangular shaped spindles of the deck railing within inches of dad's chair outside the front door. A hummingbird had never visited the house in the past. These events were no accident, nor mere coincidence, but occurred by design. God's hand was clearly involved in ushering dad into heaven that evening and early morning hour; it was palpable, yet there was a certain calm in the air.

James hailed from Point Marion, PA, a town located in southwest Pennsylvania, a stone's throw from the West Virginia border at the confluence of the Monongahela and Cheat Rivers. He was born on September 18, 1922, to Edgar and Gwen Kelley. He was their first child. A year later his brother, Charles Kelley was born. The four of them lived in the small town for many years with their dog Buster. Dad was an "A" student and excelled at everything. That was a Kelley trait which was handed down from his father and mother. Edgar learned Calculus with only an eighth-grade education in order to help his son with his Calculus homework in high school. Gwen was an accomplished violinist, often appearing with the symphony in Pittsburgh. Hard work and grit were the hallmark of the Kelley household, and James took heed of this at an early age and throughout his life. Upon graduation from high school, James was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He entered the Academy in the Fall of 1941, the year of the infamous Pearl Harbor attack which brought America into World War II. As a result, the Academy classes were accelerated, and James graduated in 1944 with a BS in Engineering. He served combat duty in the Pacific Theater as the Commanding Officer (CO) (Rank: Lieutenant) of the U.S.S. LCS (L)-61; a class of Navy ships known as the Mighty Midgets. Dad just simply referred to his ship as the 61. James encountered much action during his command of the 61 in the war. One such instance was a time when his ship and squadron were under fierce attack from Japanese Kamikaze's swarming over their airspace. Dad ordered the 61, "all ahead, flank speed"; five seconds later he called out "hard left rudder". Dad's quick actions, the ability to think on his feet, and coolness under fire, saved the ship and its heroic men from a watery grave in the shark infested waters. According to the sailors who served with dad on that day, Lieutenant Kelley "made the right move" to avoid the full impact of the fighter aircraft's deliberate suicidal crash. This was a seminal moment in James's life; if he had made the wrong call, everything that would follow in the future would not have taken place. Fate was clearly on James' side. For dad's bravery and gallantry in wartime, he was awarded several medals, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star (Combat), Philippine Liberation, American Area, Victory-World War II, and Asiatic Pacific Area.

After dad's Naval deployment in World War II, he returned stateside to reenter civilian life. The country boy from rural southwest Pennsylvania arrived in New York City to interview with potential employers. He interviewed at General Chemical (aka Allied Chemical), and that is where he met his future wife, Mary (Hartigan) Kelley. As my mother recalls from that day, dad opened the large glass door for her at the office building on their interview day, dad waited for her after he was finished interviewing, and subsequently, dad bought mom a hot dog for lunch from a street vendor adjacent to the building. This was mom and dad's first date, which would eventually lead to over seventy-five years of a solid and loving marriage. James and Mary resided in New York City for a short period, and that is where their first son, James William Kelley Jr. was born. Soon, the family would be transferred to Buffalo, New York. According to dad, Buffalo was a quick stint; it was just enough time for him to complete an MBA at the University of Buffalo. Shortly after Buffalo, the young Kelley family moved to Chicago, Illinois where their second child was born, Deirdre Kelley. One fateful night James' daughter was badly burned by a hot water vaporizer. Dad spent numerous hours in the hospital after work to care for her and sought out the best doctors in the country to treat her injuries. Chicago was a short-lived move for the family as well. Soon after, the growing Kelley brood moved to Summit, New Jersey, and James went to work at Allied Chemical's corporate office in Morristown, where he eventually rose to become president. By that time, mom had transformed dad into the best dressed man in the office; he sported Hickey Freeman suits, Brooks Brothers shirts, and ties from Roots. James liked being squared away, it put a smile on his face. Also, during this time, James' second son was born, Kevin John Kelley, and the trio was complete. The family lived in the area for nearly twenty years; all "good" years!

James retired from Allied Chemical and went to work for Stone and Webster Engineering Corporation. His first position with the company was in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. However, the family lived on the Jersey shore in Bay Head, and James would drive the 140-mile roundtrip commute each day for two years in order for his youngest son, Kevin, to live in a familiar environment, since the family vacationed there in previous years. The man, my dad, always put others (family) ahead of himself; this was the selfless and kind nature James exhibited his entire life as exemplified by his eagerness to travel clear across the state on Route 70 to go to work in order to help his son adjust to a new school and put him in a better position to succeed. Many good times were experienced at the shore, which included numerous evening walks along East Avenue and the Johnson Street boardwalk, fishing for bluefish and striped bass on the beach, enjoying a gentle sea breeze on the deck, a roaring fire in the living room, dinners at Murphy's, and pepperoni pizza from Dominic's after Friday night football games at Antrim Field in Point Pleasant Beach.

The next port of call was Wellesley, MA. Dad was an executive at Stone and Webster's corporate office in Boston. He rode the train from Wellesley Hills to South Station every morning. In the evening when he would return from work, mom would watch outside the kitchen window; when she saw him, she would look at his gait. If his gait had pep in it, she knew he had a good day; conversely, if his gait was lackluster, she knew dad had a bad day at the office. When his day did not go as planned, mom came to the rescue with a warm crackling fire, a glass of Port, and a good "rap" session to lift his spirits. Moreover, while living in New England, James enjoyed attending Celtics games at the Boston Garden, especially during the Larry Bird era. He also enjoyed excursions up the Maine coast to visit L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME, and trips down to the "Cape" and Newport, RI. The Black Pearl in Newport was one of his favorite restaurants, and the family toasted many Brandy Alexanders there. One notable "toast" was in celebration of my brother's (Jim's) commission into the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, which made dad proud that his eldest son was following in his footsteps by carrying out the mission of the U.S. Navy and serving the country he so greatly loved.

James eventually retired from Stone and Webster, and he and his wife, Mary, made the pilgrimage down to Tampa, Florida. They both enjoyed sitting out on the water each evening having a Wild Turkey cocktail while watching the sun set on the bay. However, this was a short-term stay, and James and Mary would decide to make the mountains of western North Carolina their final landing spot. They lived in Blowing Rock for over thirty-five years. Mom and Dad enjoyed walking the trails at Moses Cone, Bass Lake, and Price Lake; taking hikes up Grandfather Mountain and Rough Ridge, dinners at Crippen's and Best Cellar in downtown Blowing Rock, and attending mass at the Church of the Epiphany, a small stone-faced chapel located in the Green Hill neighborhood. Dad was at home in the mountains. He loved the wildlife, the starry skies (Orion and Cassiopeia were his favorite constellations) and drinking Starbuck's hot cocoa in the cool crisp mountain air. Among his favorite animals were wild turkeys, whistle pigs, and of course, the cows! Every time he would see the cows at the end of Green Hill Road or elsewhere throughout the countryside, his face would light up and he would remark, "look at 'em all, they're all over the place". Moreover, an occasional black bear sighting along the Blue Ridge Parkway or deer meandering through the densely wooded yard were a real treat for him as well. Hence, Blowing Rock was the perfect place for dad to settle and spend his retirement years with his wife, Mary. It brought him back to his roots; it felt like home.

Dad was an avid reader as well, he read his entire life. James Michener was one of his favorite authors; he read nearly all of Michener's books. Dad also enjoyed watching Star Trek, Star Wars, or a good Clint Eastwood spaghetti western or Dirty Harry movie. But above all, dad loved spending time with his family, it meant everything to him; it is what drove him and made him the happiest; it is what he lived for. He dedicated and devoted his whole life to his wife, Mary, and his three children without hesitation. As a young boy growing up, I could not have asked for a better dad; for every ounce of love, you gave dad, he would give that love back unconditionally by the pound. He was (is) the standard by which all men should be weighed and measured. He would never say nor ever think that, but as his son, I will say it loudly, with much vigor, and with the greatest degree of confidence.

Dad's spiritual journey was second to none. He did not require organized religion, or a four-walled structure designated for prayer to profess his faith to the teachings of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He lived it every day in earnest by deed. He was a principled man of integrity always in search of the truth (Isaiah 40:31). In his final years, dad deeply contemplated his faith, and he came full circle in his beliefs and commitment to Christ. Jim Kelley ("Jim") walked the walk, and at present, is walking side by side with God as he embarks upon a new journey in the spiritual realm of eternity. The mission is not over for dad, but just beginning. God has big plans and high expectations for him. The eagle will soar once again.

James William Kelley (Dad) will be put to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 9:00 AM. A destination most fitting for a decorated World War II combat veteran. Look Alive With 45!

Family Who Went Before

James was predeceased by his mother, Gwen (Costello) Kelley, his father, Edgar Boggs Kelley, his brother and wife, Charles and Maxine Kelley, his brother's children, Nancy and Doug Kelley. On his wife's, Mary, side of the family; James was predeceased by his wife's mother, Minnie Hartigan, his wife's sisters, Irene Hartigan and Grace (Hartigan) Salley, his wife's brothers, Bill and Dave Hartigan, and Grace Salley's husband and son, Thomas F. Salley and Thomas P. Salley, respectively.

Family He Left Behind

He is survived by his wife, Mary (Hartigan) Kelley, his three children, James William Kelley Jr. (Captain, USN-Ret), Deirdre Kelley, and Kevin John Kelley, James William Kelley's Jr. children, Ryan, John, Kevin, and Megan Kelley, and his daughter's children and grandchildren, Michael and Gabriel, respectively. He is also survived by his brother's children, Charles Kelley Jr., and Mary Beth Kelley.

To conclude: Jim (Dad), I have been and always shall be your friend. Live long and prosper in the gates of Heaven. Spock signing off.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.