J. Brian Kelly

J. Brian Kelly

James Brian Kelly died June 21. He was born in 1943, in Philadelphia, PA, but moved shortly thereafter to Brooklyn, NY, where he was raised until 1955 when his family moved to rural Bucks County, PA. Brian graduated from Palisades High School in Kintnersville, PA in 1961 and went on to Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg. Upon graduating from "The Mount" in 1965, he became a science teacher at Unami Junior High School in Chalfont, PA. In 1968, he left teaching to join the U.S. Navy, where he served 20 years as an intelligence officer. Following his military retirement as CDR, he spent another 15 years with the Department of Defense. His military career consisted of many sea duties during the Vietnam Conflict and Iranian Hostage Crisis as well as shore duties in NAS Lemoore, Republic of the Philippines, U.S. Naval Academy, and NISC and ONI in Suitland. In an effort to find out more about his heritage, Brian traveled back and forth to Ireland more than 12 times and wrote a book entitled "Growing the Shamrock, Turning the Fiddle", which depicts the glorious but troubled history of Ireland, focusing on the key political and military events which shaped Ireland into what she is today. After the death of his wife Phoebe six years ago, Brian took residence in Martinsburg, VA and joined the U.S. Military Vets Motorcycle Club, West Virginia Chapter 2, 352 Crew where he was better known as "Irish" by the Eagle Nation. He is survived by his son, Brian F. Kelly and wife Trenna of Hagerstown; daughter, Lorine M. Hawthorne and husband Chris of Springfield, VA; sister, Cathy Kelly Zega of Stockton, NJ; three brothers, Colin Kelly of Camdenton, MO, Larry Kelly of Doylestown, PA and Nevin Kelly of Purcellville, VA; and six grandchildren, Camryn Kelly, Bryce Kelly, Brianna Hawthorne, Landon Kelly, Cassandra Hawthorne and Emerson Kelly. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 27 at St. Ann Catholic Church, 1525 Oak Hill Avenue, Hagerstown, with the Rev. Martin Nocchi as celebrant. Interment will be in the Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 26 and one half hour prior to the service at the church at the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown. Online condolences may be expressed at www.douglasfiery.com