JAY H. KELLEY

1920 - 2014

KELLEY Dr. JAY HILARY KELLEY (Age 94) Emeritus Professor, WVU Dr. Jay Hilary Kelley, of Greensburg, PA passed into the hands of our Lord on Friday, November 21, 2014. Dr. Kelley, who was known as Hil to his family and friends, was born on March 9, 1920 in Greensburg PA. He was one of nine children. His father was a member of the House of Representatives for 20 years. Hil attended Greensburg HS and received a bachelor of science in engineering from Penn State. During WW II, Hil served in the Army as Lieutenant and later Captain in the 51st Combat Engineers. He was part of the invasion force at Omaha Beach, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge where his unit was commemorated in the book "Unbroken Line". As a Captain, he served in occupation government supervising census and reconstruction in Munich and Erfurt Germany. When he returned home, Hil was introduced to Catherine Holway Thom by their mutual friend John F. Kennedy, who was a junior congressman at the time. After a 3-month, whirlwind courtship, Kate and Hil were married, and Hil went on to complete his PhD in engineering at Penn State. In 1961, Dr. Kelley was invited by the newly-elected President Kennedy to join his staff as a science advisor. He served in both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations before accepting an executive position at Rutgers University. Dr. Kelley also worked as an executive at Ford and taught at Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania before being appointed a dean at West Virginia University. Dr. Kelley also held multiple patents, ran a successful engineering consulting business, and was a proud member of Washington D.C.'s Cosmos Club. Hil was a brilliant, objective, and humble man who accepted every man and women as an equal and every child as a student. He was a true renaissance man who not only preached individualism but practiced it in every aspect of his life. Dr. Kelley was preceded in death by his father, Congressman Augustus Bernard Kelley, mother Ella Marie, son, attorney Hilary Gerard, daughter, Christine Thom, brothers, Regis, Robert, Richard and Paul and sister, Kathleen. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Catherine Holway Kelley; brother, James R.; sisters, Tek (Theresa) and Marcy; sons, Leonard of Eagle River, AK and Patrick of Los Angeles, CA; daughters, Kitty Nutter of Kingwood, WV, Mary of Nevis, West Indies, Joyce Ann of Columbus, MT, Michele Maureen of Billings MT and Sheila Roseline of Los Angeles, CA; daughters-in-law, Laura W Kelley and Cindy Kelley of Phillipi, WV; sons- in-law, Richard Schiff of LA, Pius Schenker of Columbus, MT, Tim Russell of Columbus, MT and Tom Nutter of Kingwood, WV. Hil is also blessed with 17 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren,many beloved nieces, nephews and friends. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."Revelations Visitation will be Sunday, November 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. in Mr. Kelley's home, Greensburg. Services will be at 9:30 a.m. beginning with prayers at home and Mass at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensburg Monday, November 24. Alvin P. Oskin, Jr. Supervisor in charge of arrangements for the Coshey-Nicholson Funeral Home, Inc. Greensburg, PA. In lieu of flowers please provide assistance to "Wounded Warrior Project". support.woundedwarriorproject.org support.woundedwarriorproject.org