Bob Kelety was born on July 19, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York to Sandor and Elizabeth Klein. He graduated from New York State Maritime College in 1949 with a degree in marine engineering. He initially sailed under his merchant marine license for Moore McCormick Lines in the engineering department. Bob married Joan Barton in 1952, a schoolteacher, introduced by a mutual friend. With the advent of the Korean War, Bob Kelety activated his commission in the US Navy. He reported to active duty in Alameda, California for the conversion of aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CVA-10). Later Lieutenant (junior grade) Kelety served aboard USS Yorktown as Boiler Division Officer off the Korean peninsula during the conflict. After the war, Bob and Joan Kelety moved to Jamaica Plain, New York where he began working for Ingersoll Rand Corporation as an air compression service sale engineer. Bob Kelety worked for Ingersoll Rand for more than 35 years. The Kelety family eventually lived in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, and Oklahoma. His children remember him as a driven father who encouraged them to pursue sports, music, advanced education and professional goals. Bob and Joan Kelety retired to Sun City, Texas in 1995.
Bob Kelety was an accomplished artist and illustrator and often painted country scenes and seascapes. He was a dedicated individual who loved military and other history and who was passionate about the Military Order of the World Wars and the Knights of Columbus. In retirement, he created a conceptual design for an Armed Service Memorial amphitheater in his home of Sun City, Texas and tirelessly worked fund raising and oversight until project completion. He was an active and dedicated member of the Santa Rosa de Lima Roman Catholic Church in Andice, Texas.
He is preceded in death by his parents and older sister Mary Eckelt of Flushing, New York.
Bob Kelety is survived by his wife of 65 years Joan Delores Kelety; their children, Mona-Marie Kelety of Humble, Texas, Roberta Ann Hennigan of Liverpool, New York, John T. Kelety of Spring, Texas, Stephen Zoltan Kelety of San Diego, California, Renee Gerette Kelety of Austin, Texas, and Colette Ilona Puckett of Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Friday, November 23, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Community 7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring, TX 77379. The committal service will follow at 12:30 p.m. the Houston National Cemetery 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77038. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Bob Kelety’s life.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Kitten House Rescue, you can mail a check, or call the rescue with a credit card donation or go to the website and do PayPal. Their Phone number is 832-286-4285, address 5050 FM 1960 W Houston 77069.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at Loving Care Cottages and Blue Bonnet Palliative Care for their great care in his final days.
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