Harry Kelley

Harry "Bud" Kelley, 78, passed away Thursday, February 3, 2011 at St. John's Hospital Hospice. Bud was born on May 12, 1932 in Hillsboro, the son of Harry V. and Mildred Clotfelter Kelley. He married Nancy Shuster in June of 1954 and she preceded him in death in 1994. He then married Sharon Duesterhaus Elvidge on September 2, 1995 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Bud graduated from Hillsboro High School and earned his bachelor's degree in business in 1954 from Milikin University. He proudly served his country in the Marines and attained the rank of Captain. After leaving the service, he returned to Hillsboro to work for the family business, Kelley Food Services, until 1966. In 1966, he worked as Chief Administrative Assistant to the Director for the IL Department of Business and Economic Development. In 1975, he served as Executive Director of the IL Association of Tobacco and Candy Distributors until his retirement in December 2009. Over the years, Bud has earned or received many awards or honors. In 1965, he received the Outstanding Young Men of America Award and in 1980, the American Jewish Committee Human Relations Award. In 1987, he was the recipient of Max Bloom Memorial Award. In 1990, the National Conference of Christians and Jews honored him with the National Brotherhood Award in New York City. In 2001, he was the first recipient of the Hillsboro Education Alumni Award. In 2002, the Audio Visual Room at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library was named in his honor and he twice earned the Ernest J. O'Brien Award for Outstanding State Association Executive. In 2004, he was named an Honorary Mayor of Clonmel, Ireland and was instrumental in obtaining Clonmel as a sister city to Peoria. Bud was a member of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and a past member of St. Agnes Parish in Hillsboro. He was very instrumental in organizing and developing the safe Halloween trick or treating program at the Governor's mansion, which became a national program spread by his associates, and which continues through the Secretary of State after 20 years of continuous operation. He was also a member of the volunteer fire department in Hillsboro, as well as the Hillsboro Jaycees and Chamber of Commerce. The most important things to Bud were his family, GOD, and his country. He enjoyed golf, boating, swimming, reading military history and traveling, especially to Clonmel, Ireland, New York and Barbados. He was also preceded in death by his parents and two infant sons, Michael Shuster Kelley in 1955 and Michael Scott Kelley in 1959. He is survived by his wife, Sharon "Sha" of Springfield; two sons, Barry S. (wife, Marcia) Kelley of Springfield and Jason (wife, Dr. Margaret McGregor) Elvidge of Auburn; two daughters, Kimberly (husband, Brent) Stone of Springfield and Jennifer (husband, Peter) Halpin of Leesburg, VA; five grandchildren, Patrick Stone (fiance, Tara Weinert), Jennifer (husband, Tony) Enrietta, Patrick Halpin, Kelley Halpin and Parker Elvidge; two great-grandchildren, Lily Stone and Cash Enrietta; brother, Rod (wife, Sara) Kelley of Olney; aunt, Mildred Clotfelter of Hillsboro; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Family will receive friends from 4:00 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 6, 2011 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Visitation will begin with a prayer service at 4:00 p.m. A Eulogy service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 7, 2011 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will follow at 12:00 p.m. at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 524 E. Lawrence Ave., Springfield with Rev. Peter Harman, celebrant. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department, 736 City Lake Rd., Hillsboro, IL 62049 or Hillsboro Unit 3 Education Foundation, 1311 Vandalia Rd., Hillsboro, IL 62049. 1HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Harry "Bud" Kelley 4on the occasion of his retirement after 34 years of service 5with the Illinois Association of Tobacco and Candy 6Distributors; and 7 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley was born on May 12, 1932, in Hillsboro; 8his parents are Harry V. and Mildred Kelley; he married Nancy 9Shuster in June of 1954; she passed away in 1994; he married 10Sharon Duesterhaus Elvidge on September 2, 1995; and 11 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley was a member of the 1949 varsity 12Hillsboro basketball team that won 2nd place in the Illinois 13State Tournament; he graduated from Millikin University in 141954; that same year, he was commissioned in the United States 15Marines, where he attained the rank of Captain; after his 16discharge from the military, he returned to Hillsboro to manage 17his family's business, Kelley Foods; on February 1, 1966, he 18joined the Illinois Department of Business and Economic 19Development as Chief Administrative Assistant to the Director; 20and 21 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley was the organizer and developer of the 22safe Halloween Trick or Treating at the Governor's Mansion for 1School Children, which continues today through the Secretary of 2State after 20 years of continuous operation; and 3 WHEREAS, Since 1975, Bud Kelley has served as Executive 4Director of the Illinois Association of Tobacco and Candy 5Distributors, where he has served as an advocate and liaison 6between the Association's distributor members and the Illinois 7General Assembly; during his tenure at the Association, he has 8gained a sterling reputation as a tireless and dedicated worker 9who always sought a balance between the concerns of the 10distributors and manufacturers he represented and those of the 11government; and 12 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley was an active member of the Jaycees, 13the Hillsboro Voluntary Fire Department, and the Hillsboro 14Chamber of Commerce; and 15 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley has been the recipient of numerous 16awards and accolades for his service to the community, 17including the first ever Hillsboro Education Foundation's 18Distinguished Alumni Award, the National Brotherhood Award 19from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the 20designation of a room in his name at the Abraham Lincoln 21Presidential Library, the 1965 Outstanding Young Men of America 22Award, 2 Ernest J. O'Brien Awards for Outstanding State 23Association Executive, the 1980 American Jewish Committee 1Human Relations Award, and the 1987 Max Bloom Memorial Award; 2in 2004, he was named an Honorary Mayor of Clonmel, Ireland and 3was instrumental in obtaining Clonmel as a sister city to 4Peoria; and 5 WHEREAS, Bud Kelley is well known by his friends and 6colleagues as a man of great honesty and integrity with a 7giving heart; therefore, be it 8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 9NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 10congratulate Harry "Bud" Kelley on the occasion of his 11retirement and wish him many happy and healthy retirement 12years; and be it further 13 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 14presented to Bud Kelley as a symbol of our esteem and respect.