John “Jack” Kelly, 83, died peacefully at Berkshire Medical Center, with his wife by his side, after a brief battle with cancer.
He was born in Pittsfield on September 4, 1937, the son of John and Mary Cowhig Kelly.
He graduated from St. Mary’s School in Lee, from Lee High School in 1956, attended Boston College then graduated in 1960 from the New England Institute in Boston. He then joined the family business as a third generation Funeral Director at the Kelly Funeral Home, which he later owned and operated until his death.
On June 16, 1962, he married the former Norma P. Biasin.
Jack served in the Massachusetts National Guard from 1960 until 1966. He was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Lee, where he served on its Parish Council and was a Eucharist Minister, a member of Berkshire Hills Council No. 314 Knights of Columbus and of the Bishop Conaty Assembly 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. He was a former member of the Greenock Country Club where he played in the Tuesday Night League and the Wednesday Morning Senior League and also a former member of the Tri-Town Rotary Club.
Jack began his love of travelling, with Norma, on their honeymoon to Bermuda. They continued their travels with trips to Russia, France, Greece and many Caribbean Islands however the time spent in St. Martin, Maine and the trips to Cape Cod with their children and grandchildren will always be special in their hearts. Jack’s favorite passion was following his grandchildren in all of their sports and activities.
Along with his wife, Norma, he is survived by his son, Michael J. Kelly and his wife Bethany of Lee, MA and his daughter Kimberly M. Hause and her husband Donald of Swampscott, MA. He also leaves his six grandchildren: Ashley, Brianna and Shaelynn Kelly of Lee and Adam, Gabrielle and Andrew Hause of Swampscott; and many nieces and nephews whom he loved and enjoyed spending time with. He was predeceased by his infant brother, Jack, for whom he was named after, his brother, Michael J. Kelly II and his sister, Barbara Bourquard.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Jack Kelly will be on Friday, March 5th, 11 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Lee. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visiting Hours will be on Thursday evening from 4 – 6 PM at the Kelly Funeral Home in Lee.
Face masks and social distancing will be required for the Visiting Hours. We ask that people enter through the Main Street entrance in the front of the building and exit through our parking lot door.
Friends wishing may make donations in Jack’s memory to the Lee High School Girls Basketball or the Town of Swampscott Recreational Department in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street, Lee, MA 01238.
The Kelly Family would like to thank the Berkshire VNA and the Doctors and Nurses on the 4th Floor at Berkshire Medical Center for all of their care and compassion.
If you would like to leave a message of condolence or share pictures with the family, please visit our web site at www.kellyfuneralhome.net