More detail on this person: Virginia Beach -
Colonel Thomas Reynolds Kelley, United States Air
Force (Retired), passed away on May 2, 2013. Born
in Cambridge, Ma, in 1935 to Thomas and Edna
Kelley, Tom completed his undergraduate degree at
Stanford University in 1957. He earned Master's
degrees from Auburn University, and Boston
University. After graduation, Tom was
commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force
and attended pilot training in Malden, Missouri.
Col. Kelley served in Morocco, Italy, North
Dakota, Texas, Alabama, Belgium, Washington
DC, and Virginia. He was a command pilot with over
four thousand flying hours in jets and helicopters
and served two tours in Vietnam with 199 combat
and rescue missions as a helicopter pilot. While
in the Air Force he attended Squadron Officer
School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air
War College. Col. Kelley was decorated with the
Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service
Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and several
Air Medals. He concluded his military career as
Professor of Air Science at the University of
Virginia and after his retirement, he moved to
Virginia Beach and taught Junior ROTC at Indian
River High School.
Tom's life was focused on his family. He was a
wonderful husband to Antonia, and a terrific
father to Anne Marie, John, and Paul. He took
great pride and joy in his granddaughters Colleen,
Caitlin, Elizabeth, Megan, and Emily. Mourning his
loss are also his children-in-law, Roland Fenton,
Jr., Janet Kelley, and Majda Larsen, as well as
his sister Diane Marrs with her husband Richard
and their children, and his brothers-in-law, Carlo
Libondi and Lorenzo Libondi, with their families.
Tom took great joy in vacationing and gathering
with his family. Tom loved going to the beach with
his grandchildren, eating New England Fried Clams,
golfing with his sons, gardening, telling everyone
what to do, and above all else he loved sharing
his life with Antonia. He will be sorely missed by
all his family and friends. A Mass of the
Resurrection will be celebrated in Saint Nicholas
Catholic Church on Tuesday May 7, 2013 at 11:30
a.m., with viewing two hours before Mass. Burial
will be at a later date at Arlington National
Cemetery with full military honors. The family
requests that donations be made to cancer-related
charities in lieu of flowers. H. D. Oliver Funeral
Apts. Laskin Road Chapel is handling arrangements
and online condolences may be made to
hdoliver.com
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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