Jim Kelly
– January 11, 2021
Jim Kelly passed away peacefully at his home on Jan. 11, 2021, after a short illness. He was born in Hammond, Ind., on April 23, 1939. He married his high school sweetheart, Yvonne Evans, in 1960. They just celebrated 60 years of marriage.
After graduating from Eastern Illinois University, he took a job running a Sunbeam appliance store in Chicago, but machinery was in his blood, and he went on to DD Kennedy, selling mining cranes, road graders, loaders and gradealls. He then went on to Clark Equipment and moved his family to Merrimack, N.H., where he was N.E. manager and specialist for wheel loaders. He was offered a job as CEO with JCB of England to bring its construction equipment to the U.S. He had offices in Maryland and Toronto. The travel was intense, so he bought his own Ford Equipment Dealership in Meredith, N.H.
Jim was incredibly musical. He loved his banjo. He also played accordion, harmonica and many more instruments. We always had music at all birthdays, holidays and parties. He was a member of the Front Porch Pickers, Silver Osprey, German Club, Irish Connection and was a commodore at a yacht club on Lake Winnipesaukee and drove many years for the SCC Security Patrol. He was a member of Renaissance and loved to play golf. He worked part time for WCI and Clublink for 20 years. He loved the interaction with people and taking care of his golf carts. He will be incredibly missed by his family and friends.
Jim is survived by his wife Yvonne; son Jim, of Tampa; sister Kitty and brother-in-law Dennis, of Miami; granddaughter Shannon and her husband Jake; grandson, Sean of Denver; and three great-grandchildren: Emily, Luke and our new Kaylee.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, March 27, at Club Renaissance, 2121 S. Pebble Beach Blvd., Sun City Center, from 4 to 7 p.m.
After graduating from Eastern Illinois University, he took a job running a Sunbeam appliance store in Chicago, but machinery was in his blood, and he went on to DD Kennedy, selling mining cranes, road graders, loaders and gradealls. He then went on to Clark Equipment and moved his family to Merrimack, N.H., where he was N.E. manager and specialist for wheel loaders. He was offered a job as CEO with JCB of England to bring its construction equipment to the U.S. He had offices in Maryland and Toronto. The travel was intense, so he bought his own Ford Equipment Dealership in Meredith, N.H.
Jim was incredibly musical. He loved his banjo. He also played accordion, harmonica and many more instruments. We always had music at all birthdays, holidays and parties. He was a member of the Front Porch Pickers, Silver Osprey, German Club, Irish Connection and was a commodore at a yacht club on Lake Winnipesaukee and drove many years for the SCC Security Patrol. He was a member of Renaissance and loved to play golf. He worked part time for WCI and Clublink for 20 years. He loved the interaction with people and taking care of his golf carts. He will be incredibly missed by his family and friends.
Jim is survived by his wife Yvonne; son Jim, of Tampa; sister Kitty and brother-in-law Dennis, of Miami; granddaughter Shannon and her husband Jake; grandson, Sean of Denver; and three great-grandchildren: Emily, Luke and our new Kaylee.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, March 27, at Club Renaissance, 2121 S. Pebble Beach Blvd., Sun City Center, from 4 to 7 p.m.