Lt. General Robert Kelley

Ret.,Lt. General Robert E. Kelley, USAF Ret., passed away Friday, February 5, 2021, after a brief illness. He was the husband of Patricia Austin of Marblehead. Born in Albany, New York, Kelley grew up in New Canaan, CT, where he attended one of the last remaining one room schoolhouses. He attended Peekskill Military Academy and graduated from Rutgers University where he was football captain and All-American football player and lacrosse team captain. In 1984, Kelley was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In 2001, he won the U.S. National Age-Group Squash Championship. Kelley earned his master's degree in international affairs from George Washington University, graduated from the National War College and received an honorary doctorate from University of Nevada. An accomplished fighter pilot with over 4,000 hours of flight time including 119 combat missions in Vietnam, Gen. Kelley flew many fighter and attack aircraft, including the F-86, A-7, F-5, F-15, F-16 and F-111. During his military career, he was awarded many military decorations and awards: Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with Oak-leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with Oak-leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st Class, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. Gen. Kelley served as Vice Commander, Tactical Air Warfare Center, Eglin Air Force base (FL); Commander, Tactical Training, Davis Monthan Air Force Base (AZ); Commander, Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis Air Force Base (NV). In 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed him ninth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. In 1986 Gen. Kelley completed his 30-year Air Force service as Vice-Commander, Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB (VA). In his post-military career, he was Director of the Canon Institute, President of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, and he held numerous consulting positions in the defense, sports and marketing industries. Bob was an active member of the Eastern Yacht Club which he enjoyed tremendously. Kelley leaves his wife of more than twenty-vears, Patricia Austin, and her three children: Campbell Austin (Mercer Is, WA), Taylor Austin Williams (Reading, MA), and Loren W. Austin (Marblehead, MA); as well as six children from his first marriage: Michael Kelley (TX), Christopher Kelley (CO), Diana Kelley Nokes (TX), Karen Kelley (NY), Kathleen Kelley Carder (CA), Colleen Kelley McCullough (NV). He also leaves his brother, Brian Kelley (MA). Bob's best buddy, his yellow lab Andrew, already misses Marblehead walks "his dad". Interment will be held at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, during the summer.