Louis Turner Kelly

Louis Turner Kelly, 91, passed away Saturday afternoon, June 6, 2020 at Rex Hospital. Born on April 1, 1929 in Wake County, he was the son of the late Norman H. Kelly and Mattie Smith Kelly and graduated class of 1947 from Millbrook High School.

Louis worked with the Raleigh Public Schools in the maintenance department for many years before going to work with Wake Technical Community College, working as the building maintenance supervisor. He retired from WTCC in 1988. He also was on active duty during the Korean War with the Army.

Louis loved woodworking and was a master craftsman. He enjoyed renovating and restoring furniture but loved even more building things from scratch such as dinning room tables that still sit in his daughters' homes and cradles that his grandchildren and great grandchildren slept in until they outgrew them. Eventually he began building clocks just as his father had done. He built grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks and mantel clocks for family and friends. He used the wood from a mulberry tree from the Kelly Home Place where Shelly Lake is now to build a mantel clock for one of his daughters.

He was a member of Calvary Presbyterian Church of America. It has been said that many things around the church would get done because Louis would see that it needed to be done and without anything being said, complete the task. Sharing his talent was one of his ways of sharing Jesus.

He is survived by his daughters: Jennifer (Perry) Allen of Apex and Jeanie (Mike) Stallings of Keysville, VA; six grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; a special niece and nephew, Carol Bartholomew and Tommy Kelly. Including his parents, Louis was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie Ross Kelly and by two brothers and a sister.

Private Family Services have been arranged for Sunday, June 21st at Mitchell Funeral Home. The service will be streamed live at 1:00 pm through the Facebook Page of Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park so all can be present with the family in spirit. If you are unable to login for the service time, a recording of the service will also be posted afterwards for viewing at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Calvary Presbyterian Church of America - % 321 Initiative - 6520 Ray Road - Raleigh, NC 27613.

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