KELLY, William E. 1866-1949

KELLY, MCCOMB

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/24/2016 at 11:11:44

End Comes Friday For Bill Kelly

"Bill" Kelly, who had been a resident of Grundy county 74 years, died at his home in Grundy Center Friday. He suffered a severe stroke on November 26th, and was not able to leave his bed after that time. He was 82 years old.

Funeral services were held at the Coffman Funeral home Sunday afternoon. Rev. M. B. Green, pastor of the Grundy Methodist church, officiated at the service. Burial was in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Bill Kelly (everyone who knew him called him Bill) was only 8 years old when he came to Grundy county with his folks. He grew up on the family farm in Grant township. His folks moved to Grundy Center in 1894 and Bill died in the home into which his family moved when they came here.

Bill Kelly lived to see many people come and go from Grundy county during his long lifetime and they were his friends. He made many friends and kept them because he liked people and played square with his friends.

He Had An Active Life
Bill Kelly led an active life. Work became a habit with him as he grew up on the farm and he didn't get over that habit until age compelled him to slow down. He and his brother Charley owned threshing machine outfits which they operated every season for 55 years. Most of those years were in the same locality in southern Minnesota. The Kelly Bros. Threshing Crew became a tradition among the farmers in the area where they operated every season. No others could take their place as long as the Kelly boys wanted the jobs. The partnership and the tradition was broken when the brother Charley died.

In the off threshing season Bill worked at the carpenter trade and followed that as long as his health permitted.

Obituary
William Elsworth Kelly was born Sept. 8, 1866, Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. He was the child of Horace B. Kelly and Jane McComb, and when he was very small, moved with the family to Blue Earth, Minn. From here the family came to Grundy County in 1875.

William Kelly was the oldest of a family of 8 children, 5 of whom are still living; Mrs. Ed Starr of Lake Park, Ia.; Logan Kelly of Waterloo; and Mrs. John Clark, Mrs. Oscar Fritzel and Miss Gertrude Kelly, all of Grundy Center.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 21 April 1949, pg 8