Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and was coached by the legendary Forrest "Phog" Allen. He was a part of the 1952 Kansas Jayhawks team that defeated the St. John's University (Queens, New York City, New York) for the 1952 NCAA Basketball championship. That summer he was selected along with seven of his Jayhawk teammates for the United States Olympic Basketball team (which had Phog Allen as an assistant coach). In the 1952 Summer Game in Helsinki, Finland, he helped the US team go undefeated in the tournament, which culminated in a 36-25 victory over the Soviet Union in the Gold Medal Game. His younger brother, Allen Kelley, would go on to win the Gold Medal with the 1960 United States Olympic basketball team. A cenotaph was erected for him in his family's plot in Monmouth Cemetery, Monmouth, Crawford County, Kansas. He is buried in Hirstein Cemetery, Morton, Tazewell County, Illinois.
Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and was coached by the legendary Forrest "Phog" Allen. He was a part of the 1952 Kansas Jayhawks team that defeated the St. John's University (Queens, New York City, New York) for the 1952 NCAA Basketball championship. That summer he was selected along with seven of his Jayhawk teammates for the United States Olympic Basketball team (which had Phog Allen as an assistant coach). In the 1952 Summer Game in Helsinki, Finland, he helped the US team go undefeated in the tournament, which culminated in a 36-25 victory over the Soviet Union in the Gold Medal Game. His younger brother, Allen Kelley, would go on to win the Gold Medal with the 1960 United States Olympic basketball team. A cenotaph was erected for him in his family's plot in Monmouth Cemetery, Monmouth, Crawford County, Kansas. He is buried in Hirstein Cemetery, Morton, Tazewell County, Illinois.
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IN LOVING MEMORY
M. DEAN KELLEY
WHOSE HEART WAS
ALWAYS IN KANSAS
1931 - 1996
1952 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST
Family Members
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