Jerome Felix

Jerome "Jerry" Felix Kelich, 90 years old, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. He was born on July 8, 1935, in Elwood, Indiana. He was the eighth of nine children to parents, John and Rose (Manghelli) Kelich. He was a farmer of deep faith who loved his family, homestead, and country. Jerry attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Elwood and was a 1953 graduate of Elwood High School. He later served in the U.S. Army from 1958-1960. He loved the United States very much. He would nearly shove his family down to run through a barn or his house to get outside to see fighter jets flying over the farm on flights for practice maneuvers! His patriotism raised the hair on his arms and brought tears to his eyes.
After the Army, a dissolved marriage to Mary Lou (Cotton) brought his first daughter, Bonita (Kelich) Porter (Alex), who was raised in Michigan. He later married Ruby Ilene (Graham), and they shared three daughters during their 28-year marriage until her death – Angela Kelich, Brenda Kelich, and Tamara Kelich (Josh Craw). They gave their girls a faith base and taught them a strong work ethic on the farm.
Jerry was a man of deep faith and his girls were his heart. Other farmers used to tell him that he'd work a long hard life on his farm with no boys, and he always put those men in their places by telling them, "I'll stack these girls up against any boy in this neighborhood, and they'll outwork them any day!" Jerry said that he had lived a good, long life, and that he was very blessed. He didn't know when the Good Lord would take him home, but he was ready.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and all eight of his siblings (in order of their deaths) - Deloris, Rosemary, James, Frank, John, Mary Magdalene, Anthony, and Joseph. He is survived by his four daughters, six granddaughters, a great-grandson, and a great-granddaughter - Mattice Kelich and son Kove, Diamond Graham, Maleah Grines, Sierra (Craw) Schmitt (Tyler) and daughter Melody, Jordyn Porter, and Julia (Porter) Hilbert (Ryan), as well as many nieces and nephews.