Maurice-Kelly-Obituary

Maurice Patrick Kelly

New York, New York

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New York, New York

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Finding Happiness
Maurice Patrick Kelly, a carpenter who was patching a ceiling for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, had a tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his arm, a symbol of a harrowing life that only now, after 41 years, seemed to be improving.

Mr. Kelly raised himself in a family of alcoholics, said his younger sister, Claire Dawson. A grandmother in Pelham, N.Y., put the children through parochial school and looked after them whenever their mother, divorced when the children were small, disappeared - out of money or on the prowl with a new boyfriend.

On one visit to their grandmother, when Maurice was 16 and Claire was 12, a chilling telegram arrived: "Due to unforeseen circumstances I will not be able to pick up the children." A year later, Mr. Kelly's mother reappeared, with a man in tow, himself a drinker and gambler. She wanted to take the children to Maryland, but Maurice refused. Instead, he lived on his own, an 11th-grade dropout, trying to care for his father, who died of complications of alcoholism. Years later, when his mother was dying, Mr. Kelly refused to say goodbye.

Mr. Kelly's own marriage ended in divorce, with a 17-year-old daughter remaining with her mother, and two sons, 7 and 10, living with Mr. Kelly on City Island. But by then, he had apprenticed as a carpenter, loved his trade, worked shifts that allowed him time with his boys and had fallen in love again, with 33-year-old Melissa Sponheimer.

"He had a very sad life," said Mr. Kelly's aunt, Dorothy Gould, "and was finally finding happiness."

Guest Book

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We only met a few times when I was a child but I still remember you and your two sons coming to visit my father in Pennsylvania. You and my dad were best friends growing up. I´ll never forget that. I´ll never forget when my dad was in the hospital and you came to visit and when he passed you told me everything would be alright and you´d be there if I needed anything. You were a great friend and I know that he´s happy to have you in his company once again. My grandmother Anne passed away...

i miss you my friend

please know, despite your life of difficulty and the lack of family love - you are remembered this day. You are missed and you will never be forgotten. May God bless those who loved you with peace.

Maurice, I miss you so much. I am so thankful that I got to see you on Labor Day weekend with Sean and Tommy. You are always in my thoughts. I was lucky to have you for a big brother.
Love you always,
Claire

Maurice,
It has been 10 years since you were taken from us, many more since we have seen you. Jim and I think of you often and our days growing up in Pelham. I know you and Michael are together watching over all of us.
May you rest in peace Maurice.

Maurice,
It is now eight years since you have been gone. Such a long time, yet it only feels like yesterday we were saying our good byes in my driveway after your Labor Day visit. So much has happend since then. So many times I wanted to call you to get your opinion, or just talk to my big brother. Now, I can only imagine what you would be saying. I do my best not to think about 9/11, it just hurts too much. I try and remember all of the good things. How much you loved your...

Dad, I miss you so much just was thinking of you looing to see what I could find to help me keep the fond memory I have.
Always in my thoughts and I pray very wishing yuou were back.
I know you are always watching over me. I can feel your presence.
Love you.



Love, Danielle, Me, and sean

You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Mo,
I worked with you for a couple of years. You were a great guy. We had so much fun on the job. Rest in peace and may god bless your family. I wear a sticker (on my hard hat) to this day with your initials on it.