Former Pittsburgh Pirate Kenneth Kelly Passes Away in Salem

Kenneth Kelly lived from January 23rd, 1934 to July 7th, 2007. Ken's wife is our Community Editor, Lela Taylor-Kelly.

Ken Kelly will be sorely missed

(SALEM, Ore.) - Kenneth Kelly was born in Lafayette, Indiana, on January 2rd, 1934, to mother Carmen Curts.

During his life, Ken experienced many things. Upon graduating from Lafayette Jefferson High, where he played short stop on their baseball team, he was signed by the national baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

During the Korean conflict he joined the Marine Corps, where he was quickly signed on as part of their baseball league and became an infielder with the championship Parris Island squad stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.

After the military he continued with baseball for a while, then onto many other endeavors. He was a coach at St. Martin’s in Washington, managed the Tacoma Bowling Alley for several years, and was a car salesman, truck driver, and salesman for a line of food seasoning.

From Tacoma, Washington, he moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he sold cars and worked as a bartender for the Fairbanks American Legion post. It was here in Fairbanks, 1988, that he met his future wife, Lela. In 1991, from Fairbanks, he went to Bartow, Florida, to join Lela.

In 1992, they then decided to move back home to the northwest, settling in Salem, Oregon, where in January 1993 Ken obtained a position with Capital Community Television (CCTV) and later became their program coordinator. He was with CCTV for seven years before retiring. Ken and Lela married on May 13th, 2002.

Ken’s family and friends will miss his sense of humor and quick smile. He could crack a joke that left you with an open mouth and then a burst of laughter. His sour expression quickly turning to a broad smile when he knew he had “shocked” someone and then would join them in laughter. He will be missed. If anyone would like to make donations in Ken’s name, please donate to Willamette Valley Hospice.

There will be a “Celebration of Life” for Ken on Saturday, July 21st, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM at Virgil T. Golden’s Funeral Parlor, 605 Commercial Street, SE, Salem, Oregon. Family and friends are invited to attend for this time of sharing their moments in Ken’s life.

He is survived by his wife, Lela M. Taylor-Kelly, of Salem, Oregon; his mother, Carmen Curts, of Spanaway, Washington; and his sister Joanne Dye, also of Spanaway, Washington; his two sons, Kevin Kelly of Renton, Washington; Patrick Kelly, of Enumclaw, Washington,; his step-children, Aleida Bostwick of Sunnyvale, California; Lester Bostwick of Stayton, Oregon; Anthony Bostwick of Salem, Oregon; Tamara Bostwick of Salem, Oregon; his niece, Jeannette Rhodes, and his nephew David Dye, both of Spanaway, Washington. He was a proud grandfather to Christian and Faith of Enumclaw, Washington; Taylor and Lilly of Renton, Washington; step-grandfather to Katrina, Ty, Jamie, Amber, Alexandria, Nicholas, Kendra, Ciana, and Moria.