Martin N. Kelley

KELLEY-Martin N., age 80, Lake Oswego, OR, formerly of Omaha, died 6/18/08 of cancer at his home. Members of his family were at his bedside. A successful career as a construction engineer allowed him to be a generous philanthropist in his later years. Born in New York City on 1/1/1928, his family moved when he was 6 to Pasadena, CA where he spent his childhood. He chose Oregon State College, now known as Oregon State University, for his engineering training. His engineering career began with the City of Salem, followed by employment at Oregon's Detroit Dam. He soon moved to San Francisco where he joined Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. of Omaha. During his 42-year career, he worked on major construction and tunneling projects around the world, including the San Francisco Trans-Bay Tube (BART) and the Danish Great Belt Crossing off the coast of Denmark. He was awarded engineering's highest honors with the Golden Beaver Award in 1988 and the Moles Members Award in 1999. He is only the second engineer in history to have earned both awards. Kelley rose within the Kiewit Company to become vice president and chief engineer in Omaha. Upon retirement in 1990, he and his wife Lora returned to OR to begin their philanthropic giving with the establishment of the Lora L. and Martin N. Kelley Family Foundation. Their 5 sons and 1 daughter joined the Foundation by becoming trustees. Lora Laslett Kelley died in 1993. In connection with his philanthropic work, Martin Kelley became involved in the Oregon State University Foundation as an officer and donor. In 1990, he made a $5 million dollar gift to Oregon State University, at that time the largest single gift ever made by an individual alumnus. In 2000, he made a gift, originally as an anonymous donor, of $20 million to the OSU College of Engineering for a new building for the department. The Kelley Engineering Center, an award winning 146,000 sq. ft. building opened in 2004 on the Corvallis campus. In the spring of 2008, Martin was honored by Oregon State Foundation with its Lifetime Trustee Award at an awards banquet in Rancho Mirage, CA. In the past, he has also received the E. B. Lemon Award and was inducted into the OSU Engineering Hall of Fame. According to Darald W. Callahan, chair of the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees, has had an outstanding friend in Martin Kelley. When I think of him, 5 things stand out, his dedicated leadership, incredible generosity, humility, great stories and sense of humor and, of course, that trademark bow tie. Martin married Judith Carlson in l994 and they have resided in Lake Oswego for the last 10 years. They were named Philanthropists of the Year in 2003 by the local fundraising chapter. Their gifts to the Portland Art Museum, Maryhill Museum, Portland Opera, the Legacy Hospital Foundation and the Oregon Aquarium were notable. Gerry Frank cited the Kelleys in a 2004 column as the quietest philanthropists due to many gifts without fanfare. Martin Kelley is survived by his wife, Judy Carlson Kelley; his 6 children and spouses from his marriage to Lora Laslett Kelley, Mark Kelley and Laura Stafford, Stephen and Roberta Kelley, Kent and Christie Kelley, Bruce Kelley and Lynne Eichner-Kelley, Karen Kelley, Craig and Sybil Kelley; and 7 grandchildren; 4 stepchildren, Lars Carlson, Sarah Gregorio, Peter Carlson, and Gabriella Patterson, spouses and grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be considered to any of the following 3 organizations: the OSU College of Engineering, the Portland Opera, and Legacy Hospital Foundation. A Memorial Service will be held later in the summer to honor Martin Kelley and his legacy.