Paul S. Kelly

Paul S. Kelly, 86, passed away peacefully at his home in Gulfport on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 12:09 p.m. A wonderful husband, son, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Paul was born March 2, 1924 in Davenport, Iowa. He was the second child of the late Sam and Esther Kelly. He attended St. Alphonsus School, and St. Ambrose Academy in Davenport, Iowa. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army and was a crewman in a Sherman tank in the 12th Armored Division "Mystery Division," in the European theater. He received a victory ribbon and a Purple Heart. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and served in occupied Japan. After his service, he returned to Davenport and graduated from St. Ambrose College. During this time he met his future wife, Sally Hayman, who was also from Davenport. Paul graduated June 3, 1951 and the couple married June 9, 1951. He then returned to service in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Offut Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. Then the couple was transferred for a three year tour in Naples, Italy. After various other moves and six children later, Paul, received his master's degree in history (through the Air Force's Operation Bootstrap program) from Eastern New Mexico University graduating with a 4.0 GPA. In 1961, he left the Air Force and went into Civil Service in the education field. After various Civil Service jobs, including Education Director for the Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts, and a three year stay at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, and three additional children later, he took his last Civil Service position as Education Officer at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS in 1973. He retired from Civil Service in 1979. He continued working part-time in the education field at Keesler. Paul and his family spent many happy retirement years in Gulfport. He was a member of St. John's and St. James Catholic Churches in Gulfport. He was a member of the Gulfport Admiral's Hardwood Club for many years and attended many of the Admiral's basketball games. Three of his daughters, Nancy, Theresa and Julie, kept score for the boy's varsity basketball team during their high school years. He also enjoyed square dancing, playing three-handed pinochle, Euchre and playing tennis. He was a Civil War buff. One of his loves was presidents and vice presidents. He knew all their dates of their terms of office and births and deaths. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Mary Pearl Henning of Davenport, Iowa. He left to cherish his memories, his wife of 59 years, Sally; nine children, Dr. Sally and Larry Adams of Laurel, MS; Pete and Suzanne Kelly of Petal, MS; Linda and Bruce Vetter of Homer, IL; Patrick and Barbara Kelly of Fredericksburg, VA; Kellie and Rocco Sbardella of South Portland, ME, Nancy and Jerry Bosarge of Perkinston, MS; Beth and Cecil Scarbrough; Lt. Col. Theresa and Bill Lingvai of Potomac Falls, VA; Julie and Wesley Massengill of Gulfport, MS; 46 grandchildren, and 39 great-grandchildren with one on the way. A visitation will be from 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday, August 5, at Bradford-O'Keefe, 1726 15th St., Gulfport. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m., Friday, August 6, at St. John's Catholic Church, 17th Street and U.S. 49, Gulfport, with a visitation one hour prior. Burial will be in the Biloxi National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. with military honors.