Son of Eugene and Mary Kelley, he married Gladys Josephine Rogers October 14, 1894 in Quincy, Missouri and had 11 children. He was a farmer.


1935 article in the Lamar Daily News:

MANY FRIENDS AT KELLEY FUNERAL

Lycan, April 19 - Many friends were present Wednesday afternoon at the home for funeral services for V. H. Kelley, well known Lycan resident, and Thursday morning when burial took place with the Holly Lodge No. 113 A. F. & A. M. in charge. A. A. Morich Mortuary of Holly conducted arrangements. Lycan Choir furnished the music and the six sons of the deceased acted as pallbearers.

OBITUARY

Virgil Herod Kelley was born October 4, 1875, in Louisville, Kentucky, and died April 14, at the age of 59 years.
His father and mother resided in Louisville for many years. He was married to Miss Gladys Rogers at Quincy, Missouri, 41 years ago October 14. They came to Colo. in 1915, having resided in Oklahoma about 6 years before coming to the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelley are the parents of 11 children two of whom are dead. The surviving are; Lee, Eugene, Harry, Clinton, William, Everett, Paul, Thomas, and Mrs. Jewel Tourney.
They have resided in the Lycan community with the exception of two years spent in Holly so that the children might enjoy the advantages of the Holly schools.
The deceased was widely and favorably known. He was a man of cheerful spirit and made many friends.
He engaged in farming and stock raising and had a rich and varied experience in that field. At one time it was a prosperous business before the drought of the past few years and the present time.
Mr. Kelley was the very embodiment of personal honor. Any statement he made could always be taken at its face value. He was an honest upright man, a good citizen and a reliable neighbor. He was industrious and inclined to be frugal. He took good care of his household, of which his family is ample proof. He could not make them rich, but he could help to make them respectable, which is more than riches.
Mr. Kelley had some very deep and sincere religious experiences and a mind of faith in Jesus Christ. He deplored hypocrisies and wanted to live in the open.
He was ill only 10 or 15 days, his illness having been aggravated by dust. Two of his sons are dead and buried in Oklahoma. The other nine children were at his bedside when he died. Mrs. Kelley, his wife, is very ill and is slowly recovering from a prolonged sickness. She has had pneumonia, aggravated by dust, which has affected her hearing so that she is not able to carry on any conversation with friends or members of her immediate family. This adds to her grief.