Peter Duane Kelly

Peter Duane Kelly was born in August of 1932 in Gresham, Oregon.

When Pete was still an infant, they moved to Sedro-Woolley, Washington, where Pete called home until his peaceful passing on January 30, 2026, at home, surrounded by family and friends.

Pete attended grade school in Sedro-Woolley and graduated from Sedro-Woolley High where he excelled in football, basketball and tennis. He also wrestled until he was poached by the basketball coach. Fresh out of high school, he landed a position as a machinist apprentice, where he began his 35-year career with Skagit Steel/Bendix. There Pete worked his way up to management. He started out working as a machinist apprentice until he was drafted into the US Army in 1952. Pete served in the infantry first lines in South Korea as an RTO (Radio Telephone Operator). He later returned to Korea in 1999 with his wife, Sherry, where they dined in a restaurant built on the same land that had been bombed during his tour of duty there.

Upon return to the US from the Army, Pete resumed his career with Skagit Steel. In addition, he served 25 years as a Sedro-Woolley volunteer fire fighter and spent a few years as the fire chief. He had 4 sons, Gary, Randy, Mark and Joe. In 1983, he married Sherry Bliss and became stepfather to her three sons, Robert, Keith, Randy and foster daughter, Barbara. He retired at the age of 54 as manager of Estimating & Outside contracting. He then helped his son, Mark start a trucking business and began living his dream of traveling the globe and remodeling homes with Sherry, the love of his life, by his side. Together they built roads for logging on Lopez Island, Water Tank Road at Skagit Regional airport, and another in Anacortes for new homes on the way to the ferry dock. Pete and Sherry embarked on five different cruises, took a bus tour of the British Isles, traveled the Panama Canal and spent six weeks in Europe. They also purchased a motor home, customized the bed to fit Pete and traveled to the US for two years, making many friends along the way. They enjoyed attending high school football games, wrestling matches and lending support to local students. The wrestling team named their group "Hardcore" for their faithful support. After several trips to multiple destinations in Mexico, they purchased land with an abandoned home in the town of Los Barriles, Mexico. Winters were spent rebuilding this home and summers spent, as the Skagit Valley Herald put it, "giving Sedro-Woolley a facelift, one house at a time." Pete, Sherry and her brother, Don designed and remodeled eight homes in Pete's hometown. His vision, talent and determination were unstoppable.

Pete marched to a drummer of high expectations and worked to instill this into those within his reach. He believed in helping those who helped themselves. He was a wellspring of good advice, great ideas, and the hard work it took to accomplish them. He was also exceptionally good at bossing people around! He and Sherry thrived in sharing their home, Casa Kelly and the wonders of the Baja with an endless parade of guests every winter. He loved and appreciated friends and family. Aside from all the hard work, he loved fishing, hunting, playing cards and entertaining friends. His legacy will be treasured in all his works and the people he influenced along life's journey.

His Celebration of Life will be at a later date. If you choose to donate in his name, we suggest: Shriners Hospital for Children, 1-888-249-8379, or Sedro-Woolley Museum, 725 Murdock Street, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284.

Share your memories of Peter and sign the guest register.