John Thomas Kelley

John Thomas Kelley, a middle child with seven siblings, was born in Georgetown, Texas to Henry and Elizabeth Kelley, on October 3, 1924. He attended Georgetown public schools and as early as age five became part of the family hay baling business. His job was to sit on the baler which was pulled by horses and poke the wires into the mechanism that held the hay bale together. At the end of each long day, his reward was the same as the other men, a small sliver of chewing tobacco. As a boy he freely roamed the countryside with his brothers and friends, each carrying their 22 rifles and often brought home rabbits and squirrels for their meals. As he grew older the domino halls beckoned which resulted in a lifelong love of dominoes.

John’s two older brothers were in the Navy and on his 17th birthday, with parental permission, he left school and joined the U.S. Navy. Two months later, having just completed basic training in San Diego, California and while attending radio school in San Francisco, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor; our nation was at war. John earned the rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer ending with Coxswain (T) and served aboard two attack transport ships, the USS Grant and the USS Fayette. He was involved in at least seven major landings and assisted in the landing of troops at Iwo Jima when he witnessed the famous flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. He was also aboard ship during the decisive battle at Midway. John Kelley was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy on November 26, 1945 after serving four years active duty.

Following the war, John began a career in sales. He sold commercial real estate in California for a few years and then managed a cigar store where he met a number of famous movie stars. In 1958 he travelled to Texas where he opened a furniture store, the A to Z Mart. There he met the love of his life, Jeannette Mayfield. They married October 16, 1959 and from that union came five children, Jeannette, Dawn Lorri, David and J.T. He then moved to the Belton - Temple area where for 15 years he was known as their super salesman for Lack’s Furniture.

John Kelley passed from this life into the arms of Jesus surrounded by his loving family on March 16, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Jeannette of Temple, sons David Kelley of San Antonio, and J.T. Kelley (wife Tina), and daughters Jeannette Duer ( husband Layton) of Fort Davis, Texas, Dawn Avary (husband John) of Southlake, Texas, and Lorri Brunson (husband Garion) of Odessa, Texas, as well as 15 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, March 19, 2017 from 5-7 PM at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton,Texas, 76513. The funeral service will be held on Monday, March 20, 2017 at 2:30 PM at First Baptist Church in Belton with Rev. Andy Davis officiating. Burial will be at 1:00 PM prior to the service at North Belton Cemetery in Belton.