A Celebration of life for Charles “Lou” Kelly will be held at 4:30 PM, Wednesday, November 21st at Community Fellowship Church 701 Oak Ln, Blue Grass, Iowa. Memorials may be made to his wife, Janet. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home in Rock Island assisted the family.
Lou passed away on Friday, November 16th, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House surrounded by his loving family. Charles “Lou” Kelly was born on September 16th, 1933, in Macomb, IL, where he was raised by his mother, Garnet Kelly (Teel) and grandmother, Mary Teel. It was apparent from a young age that Lou had a gift and love for baseball.
He played on baseball teams as a kid, and his talent led him to be the catcher for the Macomb Falstaff team and went on to play in the Softball World Series, a memory he spoke of enthusiastically all of his years thereafter. Not only was Lou a team player on the field, but also in the work place. He was a hard worker from an early age, beginning his first job as a teenager at his uncle’s filling station.
Lou’s other early careers included delivering potato chips and driving the Coca-Cola truck, a route he still had memorized dozens of years later. During one of his Coca-Cola deliveries, he met his late wife Patricia, who passed away in 1978. His next career endeavor led him to a position as food service director at McPherson College, where he was the first ever food service director to be voted by students as favorite staff member.
His food service career led him to several colleges, including St. Ambrose University, where he met Janet. They were married on December 22nd, 1987. They went on to open their own rock and gem shop, Timeless Treasures and through this, they enjoyed many adventures and travels.
Something else they shared was their love of dogs. Lou took great pride in the training of his dogs and they never left his side. He saw to it that his dogs enjoyed every luxury he could give them.
This speaks to the selfless nature of Lou, something that everyone around him could see. He especially enjoyed the holiday season, where his love of food service and family were brought together each year for a giant holiday spread at his home. Not only did Lou serve his family at the holidays, but also invited friends, neighbors and even strangers who had nowhere else to go.
There was nothing Lou loved more than meeting new people and sharing his life stories. In his later years, Lou took a job as a greeter at the West Kimberly Walmart in Davenport. There, he became somewhat of a local celebrity and was the highlight of many shoppers’ trips.
He treated every person who walked through the doors like family. He gained many adopted “grandchildren” and many close friends there and continued doing what he loved, greeting people, up until his last couple of months. If there was one bit of life advice that Lou favored, it was the quote, “Greet the janitor with the same respect as you would greet the CEO”.
As a family, and a community, we have lost a shining star. Anyone who met Lou knew he was the best for life advice and a contagious smile. He and his stories will be greatly missed and may his legacy of love for all live on forever.
He is survived by his wife, Janet; three daughters; one son; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com.
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