ARLINGTON | Francis was born to Lucille and Earl Kelley in Beresford, SD, where he went to school and eventually joined the Army during World War II. Francis performed what today would be considered special ops during the war.
Francis lived in Rapid City from 1963 to 2013. He was very active in the Masonic Lodge and became the head of the lodge in Custer. Among other things Francis found great enjoyment out of just going into the Black Hills and enjoying what he found. He was an avid hunter and competitive pistol shooter.
Francis spent the last three years in a nursing home, first in Rapid City and then later moved to Arlington, where he quietly slipped away April 17, 2015. Francis did not suffer before he died and was in the company of his current wife and soul mate, Dolly D. Kelley.
Francis was preceded in death by his mother, father, and sister, Isabelle Kelley, and Pat Kelley's mother, Getrude "Dolly" Kelley.
He is survived by his current wife, Dolly D. Kelley of Parker; his daughter, Cindy Kelley Heller, Freeport, PA; his son, Patrick Kelley, Fairplay, CO; stepsons, Michael Karsten, Redding, CA, and William Karsten, Baytown, TX; grandchildren, Jennifer Kelley, Denver, Brian Kelley, St. Thomas USVI, and Michael Kelley and Mary Belle Kelley, Fariplay; and great-grandchildren, Gage and Aliya Bosman.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at the Masonic Lodge in Custer. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
ARLINGTON | Francis was born to Lucille and Earl Kelley in Beresford, SD, where he went to school and eventually joined the Army during World War II. Francis performed what today would be considered special ops during the war.
Francis lived in Rapid City from 1963 to 2013. He was very active in the Masonic Lodge and became the head of the lodge in Custer. Among other things Francis found great enjoyment out of just going into the Black Hills and enjoying what he found. He was an avid hunter and competitive pistol shooter.
Francis spent the last three years in a nursing home, first in Rapid City and then later moved to Arlington, where he quietly slipped away April 17, 2015. Francis did not suffer before he died and was in the company of his current wife and soul mate, Dolly D. Kelley.
Francis was preceded in death by his mother, father, and sister, Isabelle Kelley, and Pat Kelley's mother, Getrude "Dolly" Kelley.
He is survived by his current wife, Dolly D. Kelley of Parker; his daughter, Cindy Kelley Heller, Freeport, PA; his son, Patrick Kelley, Fairplay, CO; stepsons, Michael Karsten, Redding, CA, and William Karsten, Baytown, TX; grandchildren, Jennifer Kelley, Denver, Brian Kelley, St. Thomas USVI, and Michael Kelley and Mary Belle Kelley, Fariplay; and great-grandchildren, Gage and Aliya Bosman.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at the Masonic Lodge in Custer. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
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