Richard Eugene Kelley

Richard Eugene Kelley, 81, of Freeport, Illinois, formerly of Morrill, died Saturday, June 7, 2008, at the home of his daughter following a lengthy illness. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 14, 2008, at Sunset Memorial Park in Scottsbluff. Military honors will be provided by the Nebraska National Guard. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff. Richard has requested no flowers; a memorial has been established for Freeport Health Network Hospice in appreciation of all they have done. Richard was born November 13, 1926, in Maxwell to Ernest and Bertha (Tridle) Kelley. His mother died when he was 9 and at the age of 11 he went to Boys Town to live for two years before being taken in by a foster family. At the age of 16, he returned to the Maxwell/North Platte area and worked for the UP railroad. He joined the Army in 1946 where he was a medical technician. He married Mary Smith September 24, 1946. They moved to the Morrill area in 1948, where Richard worked as a farm laborer for many years. He worked at John R Jirdon Feedlot for 20 years before ill health forced an early retirement in 1984. He was a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints and was involved in Boy Scouts for 40 years. He enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening and yard work. He also enjoyed wood crafting. He loved to take old things and make something new and useful out of it. He moved to the Freeport, IL area in 2003, to be nearer his daughter. After moving to Freeport, he started a small business, Grandpa’s Workshop, where he built a variety of wooden objects but his specialty was birdhouses with old time porches on them. He was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather and will be missed by his loving family and friends. He is survived by his children, Forrest (Aleta) Kelley of Aurora CO, Bertha (Dale) Brinkmeier of Freeport IL, Milo (Carol) Kelley of Manhattan, KS and Josie (Will) Muhr of Morrill; 18 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; one brother, Lorane (Ellen) Kelley of Briceville, TN; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Mary; his son, Hampson; two great-granddaughters; four brothers; and three sisters.