Ron Kelly, longtime resident and well-known Alliance businessman, passed away Wednesday, May 27, 2015 in Rapid City, SD, following a brief illness.
He was born on March 19, 1927 in Luverne, MN, the eldest of eleven children of Lloyd and Agnes Kelly. Ron graduated from Sacred Heart High School, in Waseca, MN in 1945.
After being scouted in high school, by a professional baseball team, Ron chose to serve his country instead. He enlisted in the US Navy during World War II and served as a medical corpsman. After the war, he graduated from St. Thomas College, in St. Paul, MN in 1950.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1950, he married Rosemary Glynn at Sacred Heart Church in Waseca, Minnesota. They made their home in Alliance, Nebraska. They became the parents of six daughters and three sons. Rosemary died in September of 1979.
On Memorial Day Weekend, 1985, Ron was united in marriage to Jane Hjersman at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance, NE and welcomed Jane’s three daughters into the fold.
Ron spent his entire professional career at Alliance Tractor & Implement Co., where he combined his love for farming with his expertise in sales. He was appointed by the governor to the original Gasohol Committee and also served on the Mental Health Board for over twenty years.
Ron had many passions. He loved to fly, to golf and enjoyed arts and music. He was a voracious reader and gifted storyteller. Most of all he was a man of faith who loved his family, cared about people and believed in community service.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Rosemary, his brothers Ray, Mike and Don; sister, Sister Conor (Sharon) and grandson Michael.
He is survived by his wife Jane, sons Patrick, Michael (Gloria), and John (Lisa), daughters, Mary, Bridget, Kathleen (Joe), Sharon (Jim), Erin, Maureen (Tony), Rochelle, Anne (Mark), and Joan (Mark); sisters: Patricia Santelman (Lyle), Colleen Flynn, Janet Bohan (John); brothers: Jerry (Ruth), Tom (Teresa), and Dan (Katie); 17 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Funeral services will be Monday, June 1, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church with Father John Kakkuzhiyil officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Calvary Cemetery. A wake service will be Sunday at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Visitation will be Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Funeral Home.
Memorials may be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com