Doyle Jan Kelly

Doyle Jan Kelly

Doyle Jan Kelly, 82, of Hendrix, OK passed away on August 5, 2025, after a short battle with cancer. Jan was born on August 10, 1942, to Doyle R. and Pauline Pedigo Kelly in Denison, TX. He attended Liberty School through 8th grade. He attended Kemp High School for 2 years then transferred to Denison High School where he graduated in 1960.

In 1961, he began his higher education at Southeastern State College in Durant. He then took the next year off and worked in the oil fields. He returned to college in 1963 where he majored in math and science. He also served his country in the Army Reserves.

In 1965, he met and fell in love with Sylvia Carol Needham. They wed in January of 1966. In 1968, their first son Paul Jan was born. In 1970, Terri Carol became Paul's sister. Another son, George Mark, was born in 1973.

By 1969, Jan was working as a chemist at John's Manville in Denison but was growing in a desire to preach the gospel. He had led singing from an early age in the small Church of Christ congregation in Liberty, OK and occasionally preached for them there as he got older. He applied to and was accepted at Preston Road School of Preaching in Dallas in 1973. At that time, he moved his family to Waxahachie, TX and was supported by the church there while he attended preaching school for 2 years.

When he completed his certification, he served a small church in Summit, Michigan. Subsequently, he moved to a congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During his time there, he picked up courses in Greek and Hebrew at a Christian reform seminary. Later, he wanted to attend Harding graduate school in Memphis, TN. So, he moved his family back to Liberty, OK and commuted each week to Tennessee where he took all his classes on one day of the week. When he finished there, he took a preaching job in Marshfield, Wisconsin.

While preaching in Wisconsin, his father was diagnosed with cancer. He was needed at home to help his mom with the grocery store. So, he moved his family back to Liberty to help her during the week at the grocery store and preached for the Liberty Church of Christ.

In 2010, he started filling in for the preacher and teaching Bible classes at the Kemp Church of Christ. In 2022, he began serving as an elder there as well. He was loved by the people of this and the surrounding communities. He has preached at many funerals and studied the scriptures with many people over the years.

Jan was preceded in death by his grandparents Elvis and Nellie Kelly, grandparents Fred and Blanche Pedigo, parents Doyle R. and Pauline Pedigo Kelly, son Paul Jan Kelly, and one great-granddaughter Joanna Karlsson. He is survived by his wife Sylvia, one daughter Terri and husband Magnus Karlsson of Erie, CO, one son George and wife Mary Kelly of Liberty Hill, TX, one daughter-in-law Rebecca Kelly of Irving, TX, seven grandchildren: Victoria Kelly of Ft. Worth, TX, Courtney Kelly of Tempe, AZ, Kajsa Kim Karlsson and husband Stig Breivik of Oslo, Norway, Kaj Karlsson of Oslo, Norway, Max Karlsson of Arvada, Colorado, Ethan Jan Kelly of Liberty Hill, TX, and Maleah Kelly of Liberty Hill, TX.

Pallbearers are Ethan Kelly, Max Karlsson, Gerry Kelly, Junior Sears, Craig Higbee, and Keenan Ervin with Chester Nichols as honorary pallbearer.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 16, 2025 at Kemp Church of Christ, Kemp, OK. Burial will follow at the Kemp Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, August 15, from 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. at Fisher Funeral Home.

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