James J. Kelly

Following an 83-year life of devoted commitment to family and community, James J. Kelly passed away in the early hours of December 25th, surrounded by family, beloved to the end and ready to meet friends and family who had gone before him.

A life-long Homewood resident and the son of Dr. Timothy H. Kelly and Lenore Kelly and Mary Kelly, Jim attended Campion Jesuit High School (Prairie du Chien, Wis.) and spent two years at Bradley University in Peoria, IL, before putting his education on hold to serve his country. He spent two years with the Army in the 101st Airborne between 1961 and 1963. Upon completing his service, he went back to Bradley for his Junior year before again pausing his education and joining the workforce.

Jim met Maureen Murphy through mutual friends while they were both in high school. They began dating after Jim's time in the service and were married in 1966 with three children (Molly, Brendan and Liam) soon to follow. Jim spent his career in information technology, working in a number of industries before working for the State of Illinois, where he stayed until retirement. He finished his education at Governors State University in 1993, and remained up to date on the latest in computers as he taught classes at Prairie State as an adjunct professor. He and Maureen were very active members of the St Joseph Parish, where Jim was an Extraordinary Minister of Communion for over 40 years.

Jim had a life-long love of all living things, but was especially fond of birds and flowers. The former he celebrated with his long association with Audubon society, where he was a team leader on annual counts of migratory birds as they passed through Cook County Forest Preserves. Flowers were a passion that he spent a great deal of time on at home, but he took special pride in cultivating the Dahlias for both St Joseph's and the Homewood Historical societies Dorband Howe House. He often documented these loves, and his love of family, with an ever-present camera – capturing images of the things that gave him joy, and sharing those with everyone in albums that number too many to count.

Jim and Maureen have a very large group of friends whom they made through the years, dating back as far as grammar school friends from St. Joseph's, through high school and beyond. The kids' friends and their families became Maureen and Jim's friends and figuring which friend belonged to which home was a challenge. This stayed true through life, as Jim established strong friendships with the children's in-laws and he and Maureen made trips to visit them in Ohio, Kentucky and California.

Jim is now reunited with his parents, as well as brothers Tim (late Lynne), and Tom (Mary Jo) and sister Mary. He is survived by wife Maureen, daughter Molly (Jon), sons Brendan (Eela) and Liam (Jennifer), His six grandchildren, Will, Peter, Maddie, Ronan, Ellie and Grace will all miss him tremendously, as will the many dogs he has spoiled throughout the years.

Visitation will occur from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 6th at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Homewood with the funeral mass to follow immediately. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the Audubon Society of America.