FRANCIS EDWIN KELLEY

A kind and wonderful spirit who touched many lives during his time on earth passed into God's loving embrace on January 17, 2011 at the age of 90.
Francis E. Kelley was born on October 18, 1920, on the family homestead near DeNova, Colorado, the 8th of 9 children to John Adam and Cecilia (Heitmann) Kelley. Francis had a great sense of humor. He attended the West Antelope School located right across the road north from the family farm; thus, it was hard for him to convince younger generations of his efforts walking uphill both ways through snowdrifts to attend school. In the 1920's and 1930's depression era, it was not a common practice for children to attend high school due to the need for labor on the farm. His parents were determined that Francis and his siblings receive a high school education. Francis boarded with a family in Akron while he attended high school, since his parents lived 25 miles from town. His older brother, Bob, operated a restaurant on Main Street in Akron at that time and Francis was apprenticed to Bob to help in the kitchen, until he graduated from Akron High School in 1939.

Francis returned to the family homestead for a time to help his father and brother Herbert operate the farm. He attended Colorado State A & M College for several semesters with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. With World War II brewing, he knew that he would soon be drafted into the army. He went to Portland, Oregon, and worked in the shipyards, becoming a highly skilled welder, building ships for the war effort. He eventually received his "Greetings from your Friends and Neighbors" letter from the draft board, reporting for military duty on July 23, 1942 in Denver.

After basic training, Francis was assigned to the African Theater, where, as he described, Allied Forces chased German General Rommel (The Desert Fox) all over northern Africa until Rommel's Army was defeated. Francis, with his unit, the 237th Engineer Combat Battalion, sailed in the North Atlantic toward England to prepare for the invasion. The voyage took many days as their convoy of ships was dogged by German submarines all the way. At one point he thought they were near New York before they finally evaded the enemy patrols.

Francis was one of our war heros who stormed ashore on Utah Beach in Normandy at 6:00 a.m. on D-Day, June 6, 1944. His commanding officer was killed in the landing. In a few days, Francis was offered a field officer commission which he refused. Interestingly enough, his commanding officer was never replaced. Francis led his men as a Master Sergeant throughout the rest of the war. His most memorable story of the war was during a night bombing raid, the Germans dropped a 500-pound bomb that landed right in their immediate camp, penetrating the ground, but, fortunately, it did not detonate, if it had, no one would have survived. He and his men suffered a sleepless and prayerful night, waiting for dawn to "light-foot" out of the area. His engineer combat unit fought through Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes, and Central Europe. Francis and his men were trapped in the Battle of the Bulge, at Bastogne, Belgium, at Christmas, 1944. He and his men had to sleep in the snow without cover for several weeks. Francis served under the command of General James F. Collins, whom he met, accidentally, while investigating how his engineers could build a pontoon bridge across the Rhine River, which had swollen due to the Germans destroying several dams upstream to slow the advance of the Allied Forces. Francis and his men, successfully, built the bridge after three previous attempts were destroyed by German artillery. (They finally located the German forward observer who was directing the artillery, and as Francis said, they "took" him out with a well-directed tank shot.) That allowed the necessary crossing for the tanks, artillery, trucks and troops to aggressively pursue the retreating German forces. He, for a time, served under General George S. Patton, Jr. Francis was discharged from military service on November 11, 1945, at Fort Logan, Colorado.

After helping secure our freedom, Francis returned to the family farm to find that his brother Herbert had married and that his new wife had a sister. Francis met Arletta Myers, the Love of his Life. Francis and Arletta were married January 28, 1947, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Akron, Colorado. Herbert and his wife, Geraldine, Arletta's sister, were best man and matron of honor at their wedding. Francis purchased the family farm and 640 acres of sandhill grassland nearby and Herbert farmed a half-mile away. The two families were close and spent much time socializing and caring for each other's children. Herbert's 10 children (one of whom was named after Francis) were double-cousins to the two daughters born to Francis and Arletta. Linda was born on November 1, 1947, and Jenene on May 31, 1958.

Francis helped his neighbors as a veterinarian, welder and mechanic. He was a very progressive farmer, trying new ways and methods of farming. He raised wheat, barley, proso millet, and livestock feed for his cattle herd. He eventually developed two center pivot irrigation circles on his east sandhill grassland.

Francis and Arletta shared school bus driving for 25 years, driving the neighborhood students to the High Prairie School; then later, to the Arickaree School, where both Linda and Jenene graduated. Francis and Arletta enjoyed the positive contact and interaction with all of the kids that rode their bus.

Francis was a member of the Otis VFW Post and, also was a charter member of the Akron Elks Lodge, serving as a trustee for several terms. He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Anton Cooperative Association. Francis and Arletta were devout members of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Akron.

In 1977, Francis retired and sold the family farm, and built Arletta her dream home in Akron. They lived there for 13 years, and later they moved to Woodland Park, Colorado. Francis enjoyed the mountains with his brother, Omer Kelley, and brother-in-law, Jim Lane, where they planned to develop their mountain property adjoining Mueller State Park. Francis and Arletta spent the last several years together at the home of their daughter Jenene in Woodland Park. They enjoyed their daughter Linda's many visits and enjoyed visiting Linda in Akron.

Francis was preceded in death by his parents, and all of his siblings. He is survived by Arletta, his wife of nearly 64 years, and his daughters, Linda (Alex) Pieper and Jenene (Mike) Chaput. He is also, survived by two grandsons: Joseph (Marci) and Ben (Lisa) Pieper and three step-grand children: Cosette, Michael, and Daniel Chaput and two great-grandsons, Alex and Aidan Pieper and one step-great-granddaughter, Amanda Steinbacher. He is also survived by sister-in-laws, Genevieve Kelley, and Marion Myers, and numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.

Vigil Services at St. Joseph's Catholic Church are scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 21, and the Mass of Christian Burial will follow the next morning at 10:00 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery following the Funeral Mass.

Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph's Cemetery Fund.