William "Bill" David Kelly

William D. Kelly, age 70, of Fairless Hills, PA, passed away at home with his family by his side on Monday, June, 15, 2026. Born in Scranton, PA he moved to Fairless Hills as a young child with his family and was proud to call Fairless Hills home for his whole life. He was known and loved by his neighbors, who always had a kind word for his immaculate lawn and meticulous holiday decorations.

A 1973 graduate of Pennsbury High School, his passion for Falcons sports never waned. You could always catch him in the stands for the rivalry Pennsbury vs. Neshaminy football games proudly wearing his black and orange.

Bill was a 43 year employee of Giles & Ransome/Foley Cat. His colleagues would say he had a knack for turning bad situations into good ones and that he made it look easy.

He had a rare gift for making lifelong friends. From his childhood friends from the neighborhood and school, to dozens of colleagues over the decades, to his children’s friends who were invited on family trips, to the shop owners on the Jersey Shore boardwalk, and even folks like the monthly exterminator, everyone he met felt welcomed in by Bill.

Bill met his wife Cecilia in 1977 and he took her on their first date that May. She remembers how he picked her up in his beat up 1964 Chevy station wagon to drive her to a Loudon Wainwright III concert at the Main Point in Ardmore, opening a bottle of Mateus with a screwdriver while cruising down the turnpike. She may have dozed off during the show, but she agreed to another date, and another, until they were married in 1983. They had three children; Elizabeth, William, and Carolyn and raised them in a home full of creativity, love, and so much fun.

Bill was a true believer in a good time. He made the family’s annual Jersey Shore vacation an open invitation for friends and family to pop in for a cocktail and a porch hang. He loved nothing more than a hot, sunny beach day and a 70 degree ocean to swim in with his kids and grandkids. The family will continue to wear their shark tooth necklaces in his honor as they ride their bikes along the shoreline.

A family man, he looked forward to the annual Kelly family reunion weekend in Bloomsburg every Labor Day weekend. He rode the Phoenix and the Twister at Knoebles Amusement Park every year, and could always be counted on to hand out dollar bills to his nieces and nephews for hotel vending machine treats.

He was an endlessly curious person. Bill was always eager to learn new things and took pride in passing on the many and varied things he knew. His appreciation of the stars and planets and the way they move through the night sky will be remembered and carried on by his kids and grandkids. He could talk about engineering and gardening with equal enthusiasm. He took guitar lessons in his 50s, became a regular theater goer as a season ticket holder at the Bucks County Playhouse in his 60s, and hit a hole-in-one with his local golf league at 69 years old last summer. Bill believed in getting out there and living life.

Known to his grandkids as “Pops,” he was always game to get down on the floor and play. Starting when his own children were small, and again when his grandchildren were born, Pops would set up his model trains around the Christmas tree and made an adventure of it. The kids were encouraged to jump on him as much as they wanted in a game called “Hop on Pops.” Nobody told better bedtime stories and nobody gave better hugs and kisses.

Son of the late Joseph and Anna Rose (Harrington) Kelly and brother of the late John Kelly and stepsister Lisa Ryan, he is survived by his loving wife of 43 years Cecilia (Hennessy) Kelly, his daughter and son-in-law Elizabeth Kelly and Abraham Koffenberger, son and daughter-in-law William J. Kelly and Meredith McGann Kelly, daughter Carolyn Kelly, grandchildren Lochlan and Clover Kelly Koffenberger. Brothers Joseph (Nikki) Kelly, Jim (Susan) Kelly. Sisters Colleen (Bill) McTigue, Eileen Gilbert, Maryann (Steven) Kline, stepsister Maureen Fyock and an abundance of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Calling hours will be Friday June 19, 2026 from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the Dougherty Funeral Home (2200 Trenton Rd, Levittown, PA 19056), followed by a service at 11am. His internment will be private.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to cancer research.