Kenneth Raymond Kelly
Seaside Dec. 28, 1928 — Jan. 22, 2017
Kenneth Raymond Kelly, 88, of Seaside, Oregon, went to be with the Heavenly Father on Jan. 22, 2017.
He was born on Dec. 28, 1928, in The Dalles, Oregon, to Raymond and Augusta Kelly. He had three older brothers, James, Wilbur and Vernon Kelly. He graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in The Dalles, and following high school owned a cherry orchard, and was a partner in the Booth & Kelly Insurance Agency.
He married Patty Bennett in 1950, and in 1951 welcomed Kenneth Kelly Jr. They moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, and later divorced.
Ken met Betty Porter of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, on Oahu in 1960 and they were married in 1963. They had two children, Lorraine and Dennis. He owned and operated a hotel in Waikiki, worked for Amfac Insurance for 10 years and invested in real estate.
He was a devout Catholic, and a member of St. Augustine’s congregation and later, Star of the Sea Church. He was also an active member of the Elks Lodge. He enjoyed spending time with his family, traveling the U.S., gardening, home improvement, bike riding, Marco Polo in the pool with his kids and his evening saunas.
After retirement, Ken and Betty split their year between Seaside, Oregon, and Hawaii until 2009, when they moved to Seaside permanently to be closer to family. Some of the highlights of his years on the Oregon Coast were storm watching, sunsets on the Pacific Ocean and visiting the Warrenton Community Center for lunch on Mondays and Thursdays to catch up with friends. He is survived by his wife, Betty Kelly; children Ken Kelly Jr. (Linda), Lorraine Harmon (Travis) and Dennis Kelly (Philippa); and grandchildren Mary Kelly Fears (Eddie), Pulani Kelly, Steven Brooks and Ariana Brooks.
Contributions in memory of Ken can be made to the Warrenton Community Center or Our Lady of Victory Church in Seaside, Oregon.
A remembrance celebration will be held on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Warrenton Community Center, located at 170 S.W. Third St., Warrenton OR 97146.
