Roy R. Kelly, Jr.

Roy R. Kelly, Jr., of 1091 College Street, Monticello, died at the age of 90, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, at The Retreat Nursing Home.

Roy Kelly was a lifelong resident of Jasper County and his parents were the late Roy Robinson Kelly, Sr. and Pauline Jordan Kelly. He graduated from Monticello High School and played on the first State Championship Football Team in 1940. He was a member of the Monticello Presbyterian Church where he served as a Deacon.

Roy was a member of the “greatest generation” and a combat veteran of World War II, holding the rank of Staff Sergeant while serving in the 11th Bomb Squadron of the Army Air Corps, as a Tail Gunner on a B-25 Bomber. He flew 20 combat missions in the air offensive against Japan and was awarded five Bronze Stars.

He attended North Georgia College and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree.

He served in the Georgia State Senate from 1957-1958 and in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1959-1965. He served as Executive Assistant to Tommy Irvin, the Georgia Secretary of Agriculture from 1969-1976; but he was most proud of being a Jasper County farmer.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Margaret C. Kelly; and his wife, Nancy Banks Kelly.

He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Roy R., III and Deborah Smith Kelly, John Banks and Susan Clark Kelly, and Paul Hunt, Sr. and Lisa Rakes Kelly; grandchildren, Roy R. Kelly, IV, Sara Kelly Pace, Kimberly Kelly Gardner, Jenny Kelly Slaughter, Paul Hunt Kelly, Jr., and Colt Rakes Kelly; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, at 11 a.m. at Monticello Presbyterian Church. Interment will be held in West View Cemetery. Rev. Rindy Trouteaud will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in the Fellowship Hall of the Monticello Presbyterian Church.

Serving as pallbearers will be Roy R. Kelly, IV, Paul Hunt Kelly, Jr., Colt Rakes Kelly, Dudley Horton, Roy Embry, Lynn Short, and Thurman L. Willis, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Monticello Presbyterian Church or the MLJ Fund for Children at the Monticello Presbyterian Church, P. O. Box 308, Monticello, Ga. 31064 or Abbey Hospice, 215 Azalea Court, Social Circle, Ga. 30025.

Jordan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For more information, visit its website at http://www.jordanfuneralhome monticello.com/.