Robert William Kelly

Robert (Bob) William Kelly age 89, of Eugene, Oregon and formally long time resident of Shorewood, Wisconsin died Sunday, May 25th, 2014 at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, CO. Bob was born on July, 27, 1924 to Fred H. and Marjorie (Taylor) Kelly in Mattoon, Illinois where he grew up and graduated high school. He attended the Citadel in South Carolina for 6 months and then was drafted for WWII. He served in the army until 1945 and received a European African Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon with two bronze stars, a good conduct ribbon, a purple heart medal and a bronze star medal. He attended Purdue University in 1946 where he met his wife Frieda (Howes) whom he married on February 1st, 1948. He graduated in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering. That same year, he was hired by McGraw Edison Line Material in Milwaukee, Wisc. as a test engineer. He was transferred to Birmingham, Alabama in 1956 as a Field Engineer. He was transferred back to Milwaukee in 1960 where he bought his house in Shorewood, on Ardmore Avenue. He left McGraw Edison in 1971 and opened up his own personal business as the ""Shorewood Home Repair Man"". He began volunteering for Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity in the late 1980's and retired as the Home Repairman in 1992. He was hired by Habitat in 1994 as the rehab supervisor, and in 2010 was promoted to electrical supervisor. He retired from Habitat in 2012, due to reasons of health and moved to Oregon to be closer to 3 of his daughters and their families. His wife Frieda, mother of his 4 children, passed away in in 1996. He married Deloris Kirk in 1997 and she preceded him in death in 2000. Bob was a member of the boy scouts and participated in Young Timers, a scout organization. He was a member of the Shorewood Men's club, was a regular volunteer at the Performing Arts center of Milwaukee and a long time active member of North Shore Presbyterian Church in Shorewood. As a WWII Vet, he was able to attend an Honor Flight in Spring of 2012. After moving to Eugene, he became a member of Peace Presbyterian Church. Bob was an adventuresome man. He obtained his private pilot's license in the early 1960's, and flew his mother's airplane when she came to visit. He loved camping with his family, tent camping when the children were small and making many trips to Colorado and Oregon in his fifth wheel with his wife Frieda, to visit his children and grandchildren. Later in life he had many cruises and trips overseas with friends. He was a mentor and father figure to many. He is survived by his 4 children Kate (of Eugene, Or), Barb (Scott Stroh) - of Eugene, Nancy (Dave Bruscher) of Denver, CO and Mary (John Fielder) of Toledo, Or., as well as 12 grandchildren and 7 great- grandchildren. Donations in his memory can be made to Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, 3826 N. Booth Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212 and/or North Shore Presbyterian Church, 4048 N. Bartlett Avenue, Shorewood, WI 53211. Service & Reception InfoA memorial service in his honor will be held at North Shore Presbyterian Church at 10:00am on Tuesday, June 3rd, followed by a graveside ceremony with military honors at Wisconsin Memorial Park at 1:00pm

Robert William Kelly

May 25, 2014