Jerome Robin Kelley

Jerry passed away peacefully at home in Scottsdale on December 14th. He was born in Greenwich Village New York City to Howard M. and Rose M. O'Donnell Kelley.
Jerry was a loyal friend, and he found it easy to meet and talk with strangers. Some of those long-time friendships went back to his days at Kachina Elementary School and Arcadia High School or to his adventures in Old Town Scottsdale.
As a child he could be found quietly reading his parents' encyclopedias. He was a voracious reader throughout his life, and had interests on a wide variety of topics frequently sharing some historical fact or tidbit much to the surprise of his sister.
In his retirement years, Jerry pursued a hobby in both single airplane and combat control line flying – sport, combat and aerobatics.
Annually, he participated in or was a judge in control line and combat challenge flying at Christopher Columbus Park (Silverbell) in Tucson, AZ.
As a very young boy Jerry developed a passion for cars, racing, dragsters and funny cars in particular. Early on, Jerry could be found at Beeline Dragway north of Mesa. Jerry's career with various racing teams took him all across the United States and into Canada and Mexico City, eventually as a Crew Chief. In the late '60s and 70's Jerry worked with some of the best in funny car racing. Some of those names he raced and crewed with included Arnie "Farmer" Beswick, Charlie Therwhanger, Gary Dyer, Larry Christopherson, Jim Nicoll, Mike Burkhart, Billy Meir, David Ray and Mark Higginbotham. When it came to Land Speed Record Holders, Jerry crewed with two greats, Chauvin Eammons, Jr. and Ernie Immerso.
In 2022, Jerry was inducted into the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
Jerry was preceded in death by his father and mother and sister Roseanne. He is survived by his sister Mary Catharine Kelley of Scottsdale, his cousins Jerry Smith of Aiken, SC, Pat Kelley of Overgard, AZ, Tim Kelley of Phoenix, AZ, Karen Kelley Munns of Onalaska, WI and Eileen O'Donnell Cieri of Monmouth County, NJ.
He will be missed.