Thomas John Kelly

My mom told my dad, “Goodnight, Tom...” one last time before his spirit slipped away Sunday, May 15, 2016 to begin his heavenly adventure.

Thomas John Kelly was 95 in April, born in Lake Charles last of eight children to an Englishman, Harold Albert Kelly, who stayed in Louisiana to wed a Cajun, Mera Legier. Dad and my mom, Dot (Dorothy Labauve) have been married for 73 ½ years.  Some of Dad's earthly adventures include a tour of duty in India during WWII working on the engines of our troops' airplanes; building our house on Reid Street (with a small first-born in a nail apron tagging along); and numerous wild, “this is what we came to see,” family vacations to American vistas (ask Mom about her Pacific Coast adventure).  Dad was a bricoleur, making fine things for us to enjoy out of useless, discovered, unwanted and unearthed cast-offs and recycled items (always from “back of Newberry's” no matter where they came from). When he and Mom retired over 30 years ago, he built his second house on Bundick's Lake, starting with the burned-out hull of a house he had brought to the property.  There we enjoyed rich, family-filled times celebrating holy days and holidays with gathered family, playing scrabble and catching up on the grand- and then great grand-children's very own adventures.  His last but not least adventure was The Varandah, a beautiful senior community where he and Mom have lived and played and prayed for the last 2-1/2 years.

Thomas Kelly is survived by his wife, Dot; two daughters, Sheila Judy and Salle Anne Kelly, and one son-in-law, Milton Horace Frazier (whose wife and Tom's youngest daughter, Mary Karen Frazier, preceded him in death a year ago this last March); six grandsons, Paul Anthony and John Patrick Jolet, Micheil Thomas and Marc Alan Frazier, Douglas Jason Norment and Mathew Jonathon Thomas Kelly; two great grandsons and six great granddaughters.

We will gather for closure and celebration at Johnson's Funeral Home Wed, May 18, from 4-8 for friends and family with rosary at 4. You are invited to bring something small that reminds you of Tom in lieu of flowers (fishing worms, the plastic kind, and poems, good or bad, accepted) to be placed in the coffin to make the journey with him into the next great adventure he will take. (Burial in Leesville VA Cemetery will be private.)