Dr. Joseph F. Kelly

Joseph F. Kelly was born the third son of Marion R. Kelly and James P. Kelly of Brooklyn, New York on August 13, 1945. He is survived by a younger brother, Gerard A. Kelly of Auburndale, Massachusetts.

He is also survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Ellen M. Kelly (nee Murray) and his three adult children Dr. Robert Edwin Kelly of Busan, South Korea, Amy Elizabeth Wagoner and Alicia Anne Klein, both of whom reside in Columbus, Ohio. In addition, he is survived by six grandchildren: Hannah Laine Wagoner, Jenna Grace Wagoner, Marion Yena Kelly, James Yousup Kelly, Hudson William Klein and Lucy Scarlett Klein.

Joseph Kelly graduated from Boston College in 1967 and received his doctoral degree in Hiberno-Latin Exegesis from the Theology Department of Fordham University in New York City in 1972.

He came to John Carroll University in 1972 and served in the Religious Studies department until his retirement in 2016. He held the post of department chair for 15 years and served on multiple faculty and university committees.

Professionally, he combined teaching, scholarship and writing producing many books, scholarly articles and book reviews. He was a long term member of the Medieval Academy of America, and a past president of the North American Patristics Society. The greater Cleveland community benefitted from his numerous lectures at churches and libraries on a variety of topics.

He enjoyed reading mysteries, traveling, attending concerts of the Cleveland Orchestra and going to Cleveland Browns games as well as vacationing on the beach in North Carolina.

A funeral Mass will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in New Albany on Wednesday, February 1 at 2:30pm. A visiting hour at the church will take place from 1:30 to 2:30pm immediately before the funeral. A private family internment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Lewis Center, Ohio on Thursday, February 2.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Dr. Joseph Kelly can be sent to The Carroll Fund at John Carroll University or Catholic Relief Services.