Obituary for John Kelly
John Patrick Kelly passed peacefully on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 89 years old.
He was a dear husband, dad, grandfather and great grandfather. He is predeceased by his father James, mother Veronica, brother Jimmy and sister Eileen.
John was the kindest man we know; a gentle soul, generous and funny, who cherished family and friends. He loved sing-a-longs, dancing, fishing, curling, golf, ping pong, the Roughriders, water skiing, whittling, cross country skiing, whistling, and Wakaw Lake.
He grew up in Pilger, Saskatchewan, filling many of the hamlet’s leadership roles including Reeve and Mayor. He and his mother ran the general store, Kelly’s Shop-Rite, together until her passing in 1958. After more than 30 years in business, he sold the store, taking university courses in Saskatoon to develop a province-wide pastoral care course through St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster. We were so proud of him! He and Rita retired to the lake in 1996 with a host of friends. John touched many lives in his work, church, pastoral care, and community with kind consideration. He was a generous host, and was willing to follow along with Rita’s costume adventures. The Kelly house was always a welcoming place. After 15 great years, they moved to Saskatoon, receiving wonderful health care from so many. John spent his final days in Sunnyside in loving hands until the end.
John and Rita (Redl) had 63 wonderful years of marriage. Together they have a large family. 6 children: Karen Gamble, Colleen Murphy (Bill), Maureen Loeffelholz (Dallas), Audrey Kelly, Patrick Kelly (Karen) and Mary Ellen Brockman (Ed). They have 19 beautiful grandchildren, and dear Avery who is celebrating with grandpa in heaven. There are 8 great grandchildren, with 3 arriving soon! He is survived by his sister, Sheila Engele, sisters-in-law Norma Redl, Roma Lipka, Judy Redl, Rhonda Gough, Roberta Redl, and brothers-in-law John Le Sarge, Dave Redl, Brent Gough and Adrian Neville.
The Prayer Vigil will be held on Friday, December 27, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. con-celebrated by Abbot Peter Novecosky and Rev. Fr. Matthew Nguyen. Both services will be held at the St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church in Wakaw. Interment will follow at the St. Theresa Roman Catholic Cemetery. Donations in memory of John may be directed to St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, SK. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Marc Blondeau of Kushneryk Funeral Service, Wakaw, SK.
His favourite song was "O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling .... And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!"
He was a dear husband, dad, grandfather and great grandfather. He is predeceased by his father James, mother Veronica, brother Jimmy and sister Eileen.
John was the kindest man we know; a gentle soul, generous and funny, who cherished family and friends. He loved sing-a-longs, dancing, fishing, curling, golf, ping pong, the Roughriders, water skiing, whittling, cross country skiing, whistling, and Wakaw Lake.
He grew up in Pilger, Saskatchewan, filling many of the hamlet’s leadership roles including Reeve and Mayor. He and his mother ran the general store, Kelly’s Shop-Rite, together until her passing in 1958. After more than 30 years in business, he sold the store, taking university courses in Saskatoon to develop a province-wide pastoral care course through St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster. We were so proud of him! He and Rita retired to the lake in 1996 with a host of friends. John touched many lives in his work, church, pastoral care, and community with kind consideration. He was a generous host, and was willing to follow along with Rita’s costume adventures. The Kelly house was always a welcoming place. After 15 great years, they moved to Saskatoon, receiving wonderful health care from so many. John spent his final days in Sunnyside in loving hands until the end.
John and Rita (Redl) had 63 wonderful years of marriage. Together they have a large family. 6 children: Karen Gamble, Colleen Murphy (Bill), Maureen Loeffelholz (Dallas), Audrey Kelly, Patrick Kelly (Karen) and Mary Ellen Brockman (Ed). They have 19 beautiful grandchildren, and dear Avery who is celebrating with grandpa in heaven. There are 8 great grandchildren, with 3 arriving soon! He is survived by his sister, Sheila Engele, sisters-in-law Norma Redl, Roma Lipka, Judy Redl, Rhonda Gough, Roberta Redl, and brothers-in-law John Le Sarge, Dave Redl, Brent Gough and Adrian Neville.
The Prayer Vigil will be held on Friday, December 27, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. con-celebrated by Abbot Peter Novecosky and Rev. Fr. Matthew Nguyen. Both services will be held at the St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church in Wakaw. Interment will follow at the St. Theresa Roman Catholic Cemetery. Donations in memory of John may be directed to St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, SK. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Marc Blondeau of Kushneryk Funeral Service, Wakaw, SK.
His favourite song was "O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling .... And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!"