Charles Kelly

Charles Edward “Chuck” Kelly, 91, of Webb Lake, Wisconsin peacefully passed away with family members by his side on June 17, 2024 at River Bend Assisted Living Facility in Rochester, Minnesota.

Chuck was born on June 8, 1933 in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The third child of Bernard “Bud” and Maria (Simpson) Kelly. Baby brother, by many years, to Jim and Mary.

On June 26, 1954, Chuck married his high school sweetheart, his “honey” and “Homecoming Queen” Patricia “Pat” Kelly at the Catholic Church of the Holy Name in Vesta, MN. Together they raised four children in New Brighton, MN and in 1999; retired to their lake home on Des Moines Lake in Webb Lake, Wisconsin. They were married for 65 years until Pat’s passing in 2019.

Before graduating from Redwood Falls High School; Chuck played second baseman on the baseball team, which won the Minnesota State Championship, with Redwood Falls beating Melrose, 14 to 2, in 1951. These good times also provided many memories in high school reunions for decades to come, for Chuck and Pat.

Chuck graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was a member of the Coast Guard and stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas with his young family before moving back to Minnesota. He worked in Engineering for both Control Data and Seagate, retiring from the latter.

Chuck enjoyed many activities throughout his life with family and friends including camping, fishing, and hunting. Sometimes the trips were with the family, oftentimes with “just the guys” and other times their spouses too. The vacations, outside of going to Des Moines Lake, were traditionally to McFarland Lake, the BWCA, Lake Michigan, Lake of the Woods, and Canada. All these trips included friends that he had known for decades. Chuck was never one to take a solo trip; he always had to bring along or go with a good friend or more.

As a father, Chuck especially enjoyed coaching baseball, attending hockey games and supporting his children in their achievements. He was there when you needed him, with a non-judgmental and anchoring way about him. Although Chuck enjoyed many hobbies, he was first and foremost “once an engineer, always an engineer.” His son coined him “Rube Goldberg” for his unique, determined, and extremely thorough engineering and problem-solving skills. “Ask Dad” was often a step in a complex mechanical situation. He had a way to fix just about anything! One year, he built the family a Heathkit built in tv set, working for months soldering and reading instructions; once finished it was the first time his children saw t.v. in color. In retirement, in the remote woods of Northern Wisconsin, people knew Chuck was the person to call to fix their computers, and he took no pay. The phone would ring and he’d be answering their questions or headed out the door to fix their computers personally. Even his sense of humor was from an engineer's mind: to the point and witty!

Chuck and Pat together would host countless gatherings, parties, family reunions, in their homes throughout the years whether in New Brighton, MN, Webb Lake, WI or Dauphin Island, AL. They were the most gracious host and hostess welcoming and making room for everyone. They also enjoyed bowling and have countless trophies between them. Chuck enjoyed golfing and, in his retirement, visiting with a group of “coffee guys” nearly daily, for years on end, in Webb Lake.

Chuck also sang baritone in the choir at the Church of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Webb Lake for many years. He loved to sing and in his younger days, loved to dance as well, especially the Lindy; he and Pat would cut up a rug. When he relaxed; he was working on projects, ferociously reading or napping.

Following Pat’s passing in 2019, life was challenging for Chuck, he soldiered on without his spouse of 65 years. His children personally provided care for him in his home during these last years and especially in the last 18 months, all four children rotated shifts to provide 24-hour care for their Dad.

Chuck is survived by his four devoted children Cynthia (Robert) Hardina, Timothy (Calli) Kelly, Michael (Jackie Colling) Kelly, and Patrick (Laura Irvin) Kelly, his pride and joy of 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and 1 great great granddaughter. Many relatives and good friends, especially his decades long friends and fishing buddies, Jim Oberaigner and Harlan Downing.

He is proceeded in death by his loving wife Patricia, his brother and sister-in-law, James and Helen Kelly, His sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Joseph Flaherty, and recently, a niece, Marianne Carter.

Funeral Mass for Chuck Kelly will be on Saturday July 13th at the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church in Scotts Township, WI. Visitation at 10am with Funeral Mass at 11am. Chuck will be interred with Military Honors at 11am on Monday, July 15th in the VA Chapel at Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, Wisconsin.

The family would like to thank the staff at Aviva River Bend Assisted Living Facility for their support in caring for Chuck these past 7 months, especially to Angie and Penny. An additional special thank you, to Mayo Clinic Palliative Care and to Heartland Hospice.

Memorial donations may be made to: Tunnels to Towers Foundation 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306 or Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, County Rd A & H, Webster, WI 54893. http://dogood.t2t.org/

Blessed be his memory

Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com.