Kenneth F. Kelley

Kenneth Freeman Kelley of, Palmyra, PA went home to be with the Lord on May 14, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Cambelltown, PA, September 4th ,1931 to Freeman and Anna Kelley. He was one of five children that grew up in Palmdale, a small village between Palmyra and Hershey. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 8 at Mount Lou San Bible camp. In his youth, his nickname was the Palmdale Speedster and was known to hit triple digit speeds in his Hudson Hornet. He had a lifetime passion for repairing and driving fast cars. He graduated from Hershey High School in 1949 and attended Letourneau College to study engineering in Longview, TX. He entered into the military during the Korean conflict and served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division’s Love Company. He was an entrepreneur at heart who set his dreams in motion. He started out with a bicycle repair shop when he was 12 and eventually founded the Quality Body Works auto repair business in Palmyra during the 1950s. He later owned and operated the Kelley Court Antique Mall in Grantville, PA. He also worked as an auto claims adjuster for Nationwide Insurance. He obtained his BA degree and teaching certificate at Penn State University and spent over 25 years teaching auto body repair at Hershey High School, Lebanon County Vocational Technical School and Cumberland Perry Vocational Technical School where he retired in 1990. He was a member of the Lebanon Valley Bible Church in Cambelltown, did volunteer work for many organizations, and was a foster parent to many children. He was a family man, he enjoyed family games, loved to play doubles in tennis with his wife and kids, and watching his children play sports. He had an incredible work ethic and loved to talk to everyone that came in the door at Kelley Court Antique Mall. He made sure his family never missed a Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday night service. He loved to eat out with his family and some of his best ideas came to him over lunch, with a pen and the back of a placemat at the old Porch Restaurant in Grantville, PA. In his later years he enjoyed taking daily walks with his grandchildren, attending the Hershey Antique Auto Show, collecting model antique cars, researching and sharing the Kelley and Landis family history in Lebanon and Lancaster counties dating back to the 1730s. He was preceded in death by his father Freeman W. Kelley, mother Anna B. Landis Kelley, and first wife Patricia Fuller Kelley. He is survived by his wife Jean Herr Kelley of 49 years, four sons Kenneth Kolynn Kelley (Lynn) of Harrisburg, David K. Kelley, M.D. (Marita) of Harrisburg, Todd M. Kelley (Stacy) of Lubbock, Texas, Kent R. Kelley, D.C. ( Anna) of Palmyra, and daughters Ann-Margaret Loych (Erich) of Palmyra, Susan Errichetti-Frye (Brad) of Palmyra and Scott Karinch (foster son) of Palmyra. He is also survived by his 18 grandchildren Kristopher Kelley (Shelly), Patricia Reaver (Nate), Lorainne Kelley (Dane Geis), Adam Peters, Katie Peters, Christine Kelley, Kathleen Kelley, Conor Kelley, Megan Kelley, Michaela Kelley, Titus Kelley, Dane Kelley, Alana Kelley, Carsten Kelley, Karenna Kelley, Katarinna Loych, Dieterich Loych, Christina Gasper, Victoria Gasper, and Frank Errichetti. His six great grandchildren Morghan Kelley, Westdon Kelley, Linus Reaver, Lucas Reaver, Charlotte Reese, and Malaylla Peters. A viewing will be held Thursday, May 19, 2016, from 6 to 8pm, at the Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory, 618 E. Main Street, Annville. The funeral is at 3 pm on, Friday, May 20, 2016, at the Lebanon Valley Bible Church, 1482 Horseshoe Pike, Lebanon, PA with a viewing prior from 2 – 3 pm. Contributions may be made to Tim Johnson C/O Friends in Action, P.O. Box 323, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 in his memory.

Kenneth F. Kelley

September 4, 1931 - May 14, 2016