Thomas H Kelly, Jr, fortified by the Sacraments of the Holy Mother Church Sunday afternoon, January 30, 2022.
His passing was peaceful and accompanied by family at his side. Born in St. Louis, January 5, 1934, to Thomas and Ellen (Nellie) Kelly Sr, Tom recently celebrated 88 years, a full and fulfilling life. His St. Louis heritage was an extension of his proud Irish ancestry, with roots that spanned from County Clare to County Down on the Emerald Isle. Raised in a Catholic faith-filled family, with four sisters and a brother, Tom was educated at St. Luke’s grade school and Mercy High School. He alternately pursued further education, gainful employment, and served his country through the US Army stateside during the Korean conflict in the years following high school. These pursuits would prove lifelong themes of continuous education, work to provide for his family, and service to others. But Tom’s most fruitful pursuit was the courtship of and marriage to his bride and love of his life, Agnes (Mersinger) Kelly, who survives, and with whom he shared more than 61 years of married life together. Tom and Agnes raised a family of six children and journeyed from St. Louis, to Minneapolis, to Londenderry, NH, and eventually returned to St. Louis where they have resided for the past twenty years. For the greater glory of God (AMDG) was an unofficial motto for Tom. He balanced mirth and a bountiful personality, with humility and a steadfast faith–a faith genuine to his own pursuit of holiness, but a model too, to his children, grandchildren, and friends. Tom nourished himself through a dedicated prayer life and daily Mass attendance, and put his faith into action through acts of charity toward his wife, his family and friends, at the blood bank, the soup kitchen, parish involvement, and countless acts of kindness to neighbors and those he encountered each day. Perhaps his most delicious acts of charity came from the kitchen or off the grill. His hospitality was legend to friends that enjoyed his spare ribs, pork steaks, or barbecue/grilling of any kind. Tom would also prepare and deliver cookies and baked goods to add to celebrations, show gratitude, or console. He was a chef for all seasons. Happy memories and pastimes include decades of soccer, fishing, jitterbugging with Ag like nobody’s business, meals together, drinks together, Irish sing-a-longs, story-telling, and re-telling. He nurtured and treasured friendships with childhood chums, “core-group” couples, Honeywell colleagues, neighbors and fellow parishioners. One and all will miss him. Along with Agnes his devoted wife, Tom is survived by his children, Mary (Joe) Hilmes, Michael (Mary), Kevin, Patrick (Theresa) Vallez-Kelly, Brian (Kelly), and Dan (Jill). He was beloved “Pop Kelly” to twenty-four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. He departs from three loving sisters and sister-in-law, Ellen Keady, Margaret “Peggy” Kelly, Susan Duffy, and Helen Kelly; many godchildren, nieces, and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Nellie and Tom Kelly Sr, mother and father-in-law, Rose and Otto Mersinger, his brother John “Delaney,” sister and brother-in-law Mary Catherine and George Lucas, brothers-in-law Joe Keady and Danny Duffy, fourteen sisters-and-brothers-in-law from the Mersinger Family, and his daughter-in-law Kate Kelly. His family and friends hope and trust in a loving welcome into Heaven for Tom, where he will hear the words of Our Heavenly Father, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. (Actually, Tom, fantastically-well done!)”
SERVCES: Funeral from Kutis Affton Chapel 10151 Gravois Road , Friday, February 11, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to St. John Paul II School Campus (7748 MacKenzie Road St. Louis, Missouri 63123) for 10:00 a.m. Mass. In lieu of flowers, Masses preferred. Interment J. B. National Cemetery. Visitation Thursday 4 – 8 p.m.
To the Kelly Family,
I am a good friend of Pat VK and want you to know that I am holding all of you in my heart as you say goodbye to Tom and celebrate all the good he brought into this world. God is certainly welcoming him with open arms! Sending many prayers of support.
Kathleen Schneider
Traverse City, Michigan
Hey Mrs Kelly it’s Martu. I am soo sorry about your loss. He is in a better place now.❤️
To Mary and Mike,
Thinking of you at this time, and will pray for peace for you and your family. Here’s to the Irish☘️
Mike, Mary and the Kelly family, my deepest sympathy to all of you at this very sad time. I hope the memories of all your fun times with you dad, father-in-law grandfather will help ease the sadness on your lonely days. RIP Mr. Kelly.
With prayers and sympathy,
Mary Ellen McGannon
(Mary’s aunt)
May he rest in Christ’s peace.
Count on prayers and a Mass offering here in Minneapolis for Thomas.
I’m blessed to be a colleague of Dan, Tom’s son, in our work with the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton.
To the Kelly family.
I extend my deepest sympathies.
I knew of Mr. Kelly from his dear daughter, Mary Hilmes,
whom I consider a dear friend.
May he rest in peace.
May Jesus have mercy on his soul.
Dear Ag and wonderful family,
Prayers and empathy to you on the death of your darling husband Tom. Many grins and chuckles from the olden days of St. Johns Mercy Hospital. God bless us all.
In His Peace. Love Jude Clancy Kelly
Rest In Peace Tom. He was a wonderful Dad, husband, friend and associate. My thoughts and prayers to Agnes and the family.
Don Heitt
Sending you all love. I know I speak for every one of the Horton clan when I say that how much we all loved Tom Kelly. He embodied kindness and good will. He also created one heck of a nice family. All the best to you. Paul Horton
My sincere condolences, Mike, on passing of your Dad. While I never
Had pleasure of meeting him he is
Living in all his children and grandchildren and you all have special
Intercessor in heaven. May all your
Sunny memories of your Dad ease your grief. With love from Patricia Pidcock
Dear Mrs. Kelly and family,
Mr. Kelly was a gem and he will be missed. We are neighbors in the back (the ones with the barking doggies) and my husband, Steve, loved their fence talk, as he called it. And my boys will always remember him talking like Donald Duck to them. Please let us know if Agnes needs anything.
Prayers for you all.
Dear Agnes, we are sending our deepest sympathy to you and your family on the loss of Tom. What a great example of Christianity to all the parishioners at St. Dominic Savio! We feel God welcomed him “home.” Prayers for all of you.
Mike & Joanie Peroutka
Our love and hugs to you, Kelly family, from Minneapolis and Annunciation. Wishing you peace as you celebrate this exemplary life!