Larry Jim Kelts

On Sunday, December 8th, Dr. Larry Jim Kelts, resident of Stamford, CT, passed away peacefully at the age of 87.
Born in Westfield, PA and raised by parents Arthur B. Kelts and Irene Kaiser, Larry was truly the world's kindest, most fun-loving husband, father, brother, uncle, father-in-law and "Gampy." He was also a passionate and dedicated college professor over a successful career that spanned multiple decades. As the second youngest of six children, Larry spent much of his childhood between his home in PA and their summer house on Keuka Lake, NY, where he created some of his most precious childhood memories.
Larry received his B.S. at Cornell University, obtained his master's degree at UMass-Dartmouth and earned his PhD at the University of New Hampshire. Larry was an exceptional drummer and upon graduation from Cornell in 1959, he toured Europe with "The Cornell Ivy Five" jazz band, thereby cementing a lifelong love of music and travel. He spent 30 years as a respected professor at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA from 1980 to 2010 enthusiastically teaching students about the natural world and all its beauty. As professor emeritus at Merrimack, he conducted a Global Field Studies program taking students on eco-tours to the Amazon, Africa, Belize, Jamaica, the Galapagos Islands and Australia. He also spent many summers teaching students at the Shoals Marine Lab on Appledore Island off the coast of Maine. He had a magnetic personality and developed lifelong friendships with colleagues and students alike.
His first true love in life was Kaori, his wife of 57 years, along with his two children, Roland and Naomi. He was an incredible husband and deeply loving father who was always available for his family and wanted nothing more than to be together laughing and enjoying life. Larry lived large, and his many passions ran deep: his love of dogs (in particular, Welsh Terriers), his devotion to the New England Patriots (through good times and bad), great jazz clubs, drumming to Dixieland (or any catchy tune) and preserving the environment (land, sea, sky & all organisms). Mother Nature invigorated him and fueled his spirit. There was not a bird's song he couldn't recognize or a bog creature he couldn't instantly identify (including the Latin name, too!). Larry was also proud to share that he was once told he bore a striking resemblance to the great Ernest Hemingway during a visit to The Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, FL.
Larry has left us too soon, but not without making an enormous impact on countless lives. He had the unique gift of making those around him laugh and smile. He is dearly missed and will be loved infinitely.
The Kelts Family will be planning a small celebration of his life in the spring when it is safer and easier for friends and family to get together. For now, throw a little extra love & laughter around those close to you this holiday season in Larry's honor. There was nothing more important to him than family and friends being together to celebrate the holidays with festive meals, eggnog and maybe even a glass of Jack Daniels.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following organizations, both of which Larry supported with his whole heart:
The Nature Conservancy (https://www.nature.org/en-us/) The Shoals Marine Lab https://www.shoalsmarinelaboratory.org/give-shoals