Obituary for Millard Kelley

Millard Kelley

(July 6, 1922 – November 30, 2015)

Millard Kelley, passed from this life November 30, 2015 at the age of 93 in Owasso with all his family nearby.

Millard Kelley was born July 6, 1922 to James Lace Kelley and Elsie Davis Kelley in Chewey, Oklahoma. He attended Pumpkin Center school through the 8th grade when he started working with his dad to help support the family during the depression. At age sixteen he went to work in the Civil Conservation Corp at Grand Junction, Colorado, building roads and bridges in the mountains and also in the Waggoner, Oklahoma, area. When World War II began, he was drafted into United States Army at the age of twenty and served in the 34th Infantry in North Africa and Italy. He advanced to the rank of staff sergeant in the 34th Division, 133rd Regiment, Company D, 1st Battalion, known as the Red Bull Division which spent more days in combat than any other division (517 days). He fought in the major campaigns including Tunisia, Cassino, Anzio, and Po Valley. He was honorably discharged September 27, 1945.

Millard married Mary Elizabeth (Bess) Hubbard from Proctor, Oklahoma on July 22, 1946, in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. They had a happy marriage of 69 years. Millard worked in the coal mines in Hannah, Wyoming, and a box factory in Westwood, California. They settled in Blackwell in 1948 and he worked at the Acme Foundry for 1 ½ years. He then went to the Blackwell Zink Smelter and worked there until it closed in 1974. He worked at CFM for eleven months before working at Mertz where he built vibroseis equipment until he retired at age 65.

Millard looked forward to coming to Tulsa to see all the family this Thanksgiving. His life was fulfilled and Saturday he began his journey to Heaven. He must have known it was soon because he talked to individual family members about meeting him in Heaven. Millard was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers: Alvie, Granville, Loyd, and Leonard; Two sisters Ettie and Vada.

He is survived by his wife of the home, Mary Elizabeth (Bess); one daughter, Carol Wyatt and husband Bruce of Catoosa; two sons: Roger Kelley and wife, Cindy of Owasso; and Dennis Kelley of Catoosa; one sister, Juanita Johnson of Catoosa; five grandchildren, Kasey Kelley of Owasso, Brian Wyatt and wife, Tabitha of Catoosa, Jeremy Wyatt and wife, Kristen of Grain Valley, Missouri; Sarah Hayes and husband Chris of Claremore; Brenda Newcomb and husband, Tony of Verdigris; and four step grandchildren, Rhonda Wyatt, Randy Wyatt, Relinda Pruett and Reneica Groover. He left a legacy for all the family, nieces and nephews, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of friends.

Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 3rd in the Roberts and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Blackwell with Rev. Jeremy Wyatt, Rev. Robert Johnson and Rev. Bill McKissick officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery with military rites performed by the United States Army.

Casketbearers will be Tommy Joe Hertz, Ronnie Corn, Tony Newcomb, Chris Hayes, Brian Wyatt and Randy Wyatt. Serving as honorary casketbearers will be Jim McBride, Dean McBride and Dennis Crews.

A memorial has been established in his honor with the Blackwell Assembly of God Church in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.