Rob Roy Kelly

Rob Roy Kelly, 78, professor emeritus of graphic design at Arizona State University and former head of the design department at the Kansas City Art Institute, died from cardio-pulmonary failure January 23, 2004, at his home in Tempe, AZ. He had a distinguished career as a graphic design educator, helping to establish graphic design programs at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, CarnegieMellon University, Arizona State and KCAI. In Minneapolis, Professor Kelly did design work for the Walker Art Center and the Guthrie Theater. In Pittsburgh, he was staff designer at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. In Kansas City, he directed development of a city identity system and seal. At Arizona State, he supervised students in developing the logo for Tempe and a signage system for the Phoenix Children's Zoo. Professor Kelly collected American wood type and wrote the definitive text, "American Wood Types: 1828-1900." He collected American cast-iron trivets and stands, collaborating with the Shelburne Museum and fellow collector James Ellwood to publish a comprehensive book. He collected and documented more than 1,500 kitchen tinware, cast-iron, ceramic, glass, wood and wire vessels and tools manufactured between 1870-1930. These artifacts were donated as a study collection to The Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe. Memorial contributions to support cataloging, photographing and completing an educational Web site of the collection may be sent to the Arizona Historical Society Museum, Kelly Kitchenware Collection, 1300 N. College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281. A Web site of his writings on graphic design education has been developed by graduate students at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where Professor Kelly in 1974 was named Kern Institute Professor for Communications, a one-year appointment. Memorial contributions for refining the Web site and preparing a manuscript of his writings may be sent to The Rob Roy Kelly Legacy Fund, Development Office, Rochester Institute of Technology, 116 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623. Mr. Kelly studied at the University of Nebraska, earned a BFA degree from the Minneapolis Institute of Art and an MFA degree from Yale University. He received an honorary doctor of fine arts degree from the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the first Master Teacher Award from the Graphic Design Educators Association and a Design for Society Award from the Minnesota Graphic Design Association. During World War Ii, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Survivors include his wife, Mary Helen Prine Kelly, and his former spouse, Cherry Barthel of Kansas City, mother of his four children, Rob Roy B. Kelly of Mankato, MN, Denri Kelly and Troy Kelly, both of Kansas City, MO and Shaun Kelly of Scottsdale, AZ. He also leaves a brother, Max Kelly of Prescott Valley, AZ and four grandchildren. A sister, Ruth Kelly, preceded him in death.