Timothy Kelley

With a fishing pole in his hand and in the company of good friends, Timothy J. Kelley found contentment. A life few in years compared to many, family and friends were the most important part of the time he was blessed to have had. An avid outdoorsman, he took joy in the river wind, and reveled in the sun shining upon his face. He will be deeply missed, and fondly remembered.

The 1950s was a time when the American dream was alive and well across the nation. Minimum wage was at an all time high of $1.00 per hour and the space age was off and running with the first U.S. satellite being launched into space. Young radio listeners everywhere were tuned to Elvis and the Everly Brothers, while American households had their television sets dialed to Leave It To Beaver and Gunsmoke. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Peter and Carol (Czerwinski) Kelley were experiencing a dream of their own when they welcomed their first child, a son whom they named after St. Joseph, Timothy Joseph Kelley, on November 18, 1958.

The Kelley family made their home on the northwest side of Grand Rapids where they raised Timothy and his younger brothers. They were members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church where Timothy went to school. As a youngster, he served as an altar boy and enjoyed a pretty typical childhood. Timothy had many adventures with neighborhood friends and his brothers growing up. They were often tinkering in the backyard, like building cars out of wood, but it was early experiences hunting and fishing that remained a love for Timothy his whole life through. In high school, Timothy played football, attending West Catholic High School for a year before going to Union High School, graduating with the class of 1977. Following graduation, he went to work for CSX Railroad where he was a welder, and what his family called a “boxcar repairman.”

Throughout his life, Timothy continued to be an avid outdoorsman, spending most of his free time fishing and hunting. He and a close group of buddies often could be found fishing together on the banks of the Grand River, making great memories and sharing fun times. They hunted small game and in the fall, went deer hunting. Timothy also had an interest in motorcycles, owning a bike of his own. In later years, he acquired an interest in CB radios, spending countless hours on his CB in the garage talking to friends. For better reception, he even built a rather “distinctive” antenna outside his parent’s garage. Timothy liked watching old movies, especially John Wayne flicks and westerns. For most of Timothy’s life, he shared his parent’s home, which was especially comforting to his mother when his father passed away in 2007.

About a week ago, Timothy was experiencing ill health and entered Butterworth Hospital. Sadly, at the age of 50, Timothy died on Thursday, the holy day of the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2009. Timothy is survived by his mother, Carol Kelley; his brothers, Patrick Kelley of Grand Rapids and Daniel Kelley of Odessa, TX; aunts, uncles and his great fishing buddies: Joe, Johnny, Tommy, Roger, Gary, Lloyd, and Rich. The Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 21, 11:00 AM at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the American Diabetes Association would be appreciated. To read more of Timothy’s life, share a memory, submit a photo or sign the online register book, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.