Lt. Col. Larry Gene Kelly, U.S. Army retired, age 81, of Englewood, Ohio, passed away on Jan. 7, 2021, at home, surrounded by loved ones. Larry was born in Bryan, Ohio, where he graduated from high school in 1957.
He graduated from the Ohio State University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps. Mr. Kelly served on active duty for 22 years, with assignments in Germany, Taiwan and Vietnam and in the United States with the 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne Divisions.
Among his awards were the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with OLC, the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals and the Master Parachutist Badge, along with several foreign military awards. While in the Army, he taught ROTC at the University of Toledo.
When at the university, he earned his MBA in 1973. Following his retirement from the Army in 1983, Larry joined Computer Sciences Corporation and worked in the Dayton, Ohio, facility as a senior project manager until he again retired in 2004.
He remained a loyal alumni and avid Ohio State fan throughout his life and a member of the Bryan Lodge 215, F. & A.M. for over 50 years. In retirement, Larry served as a volunteer at the Dayton Art Institute and continued to travel throughout the United States, maintaining his interest in art and history.
He enjoyed many activities and hobbies including poetry, photography, postcard collecting and spending time with family.
Larry leaves his devoted wife, Mary L. (Raber) Kelly; stepdaughters, Jennifer Brynn Timmer of Rochester, New York, and Jaime Christine Timmer of Montherod, Switzerland; and niece, Ashley Schoeppner of Bowie, Maryland. He also leaves a brother, Mark A. Kelly of Seminole, Florida; and sister, Connie J. Kelly of Sheffield Lake, Ohio; daughter, Wendy Kelly Bastyr; and son-in-law, Rick Bastyr of Western Springs, Illinois; and a son, Joel Mark Kelly of California; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son, Christopher Gene Kelly; and stepson, Jerry Allen Timmer; his sister, Carol A. Zellner; and his father, Hubert W. Kelly; and mother, Pauline N. Kelly.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, 2021, at the Kindred Funeral Home, 400 Union Blvd., Englewood, with memorial services following at 2 p.m. with Ken Hummel officiating. Interment will be held privately at Shiffler Cemetery in Bryan, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bryan Area Foundation (www.bryanareafoundation.org).
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.KindredFuneralHome.com.