John Louis Kelemen

John Louis Kelemen, beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, and friend, passed away on November 20, 2025. He was born on February 20, 1938, in Veszprém, Hungary, the youngest of five children born to Janos Lajos Kelemen and Eszter Kelemen.

John completed his schooling in Veszprém and graduated from the Electronic Technical College, where he was honored with the distinguished title of National Best Electrical Student in the Country. He began his career with the local Power Company before immigrating to the United States to live with an uncle in New Jersey who sponsored him.

In the United States, John worked for Symphonic Electronic Corporation before joining the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). When the BSA headquarters moved to Dallas, Texas, he relocated as well. John’s dedication and skill earned his promotion to Director of Building Management, a role in which he served faithfully for 37 years.

In 1998, John married Shannon Gardner Bray in Bedford, Texas, beginning a partnership filled with love, travel, and shared adventures. After retiring from the BSA in 2002, John embraced life fully. He and Shannon traveled to many countries and enjoyed a rich array of activities and friendships, especially after moving in 2020 to Highland Springs in Dallas.

John is survived by his devoted wife of 27 years, Shannon; his stepchildren Shannon Lynn Bray Flowers and her husband, Stephen Arnold Flowers; Deborah Gail Bray DeGroff and her husband, Steve DeGroff; and John Paul Bray and his wife, Karen Roher Bray.

He was a proud and loving grandfather to seven step-grandchildren: John Allen Bray and his wife, Kristen Moss Bray; Charlie Evan Bray and his wife, Layne Anderson Bray; Lindsay Eris Flowers and her husband, Wyatt Abernethy; Mallory Flowers and her husband, Carlos Gonzalez; James Flowers and his wife, Jihye Kue Flowers; Jacque Menuez and her husband, Joshua Ruff; and Tyler Menuez. He was also blessed with three step–great-grandchildren: Jacob Henry Bray, Rosalee Jia Flowers, and Leilani Flowers.

John is further survived by two sisters-in-law, Sylvia Taggart of Oak Island, North Carolina, and Bonnie Ullery of Leeds, Alabama, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

John will be remembered for his warmth, generosity, dedication to his work, and the love he shared with his family and friends. His life stands as a testament to perseverance, service, and the joy of embracing new horizons.

May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to:

Shriners Hospitals for Children

2900 Rocky Point Drive Tampa, FL 33607 US

https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en

Dementia Society of America

PO Box 600 - Doylestown, PA 18901 USA

https://www.dementiasociety.org/

A private memorial service will be held for the family at Rolling Oaks funeral home at 1 O’clock on Friday November 28, 2025.