Obituary of John Thomas Kelly

John Thomas Kelly John passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on March 6, 2011. He was born October 23, 1954, in Brooklyn, NYC, where he married Donna Van Houten and fathered his first daughter, Cassady. After working for several years as a union carpenter in the NY area, John moved the family to Olympia in the late 1980s to be closer to relatives. He became the proud parent of three additional daughters, Kayla, Shea, and Eve Kelly. John graduated from The Evergreen State College (1993). John was an integral part of his community and dedicated to the service of others, love of God, and strong family values and provided a loving home, rich in kindness, creativity, diversity, humility, humor and joy. John leaves behind his spouse Donna; four daughters; two older brothers, Dan (Penny Sneed) and Bill (Maria Calamia); sister, Joanne (Doug McCaughan). He was predeceased by his parents John and Ann Kelly, and younger brother, Gerry. John worked for 17 years as an environmental engineer at the Olympic Clean Air Agency. His early retirement in February 2011 was triggered by the effects of cancer, which he had been courageously battling for six years. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at Olympic Christian Reform Church, 2121 Log Cabin Road, Olympia 98501. The family requests any donations be forwarded to Capitol Oncology Patient Assistance Fund (3920 Capital Mall Drive SW, Ste. 100, Olympia, WA 98502), or to The Thurston County Furniture Bank (c/o Olympic Reform Church). To leave memories of John or condolences for the family, please click on "View Guestbook" below.