Frank Leopold Kelly
Flint Journal
In Loving Memory of
KELLY--Frank Leopold Kelly, 2526 Lawndale Ave, age 63, died Monday, June 3,
1957, at Hurley Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M.
Thursday, June 6, 1957, from the Colonial Chapel, Riegle Funeral Home, 2417
Saginaw St., Rev. Charles Pausley officiating. Burial in Sunset Hills
Cemetery. Mr. Kelly will remain in the funeral home. Family request that
flowers be omitted. Kindly donate to the Cancer Fund. He was born in Rush
Lake, Minnesota, Dec. 16, 1893, and lived in Flint for the last 40 years. He
married in Yankton, South Dakota, August 26, 1915. He was employed at the
Buick Motor Division Plant No. 12 for the last 39 years. Surviving are; wife
Stella; 3 daughters, Mrs. Ruth Wernette of Davison, Mrs. Marguerite DeRyke of
Tarzana, California; Miss Dorothy Kelly at home; 3 sons, Donald of Pontiac,
Robert of Flint, Earl of Columbus, Ohio; 8 grandchildren; Brother George Kelly
of Perham, Minn.; sister, Mrs. Cecilia Carlson of Des Moines, Iowa.
Additional Comments
Frank Kelly granduated from Aiken High School in Minnesota where he played on
the Central Minnesota State Championship basketball team in 1909 and 1910. He
went on to play football, baseball, and basketball at Columbus College in
Chamberlain, South Dakota from 1911-1914. After moving to Flint he took night
classes to become a tool and die man for Buick. He was very active in sports
in the Flint area where he officiated some of the big games of that era. His
sons Don and Earl both were class A all state basketball players for Flint
Northern High School. Earl Kelly, Franks son, lead Flint Northern to a State
Championship in 1936 and his team was inducted into the Flint Sports Hall of
Fame. Earl went on to play football at Ohio State and played semi pro
basketball in the Ohio area. Don was also a great basketball player and
athlete who was selected to the class A all state team twice. His team at
Flint JC went on to play in the regional finals and Don lead the league in
scoring at 21 ppg. Don lead CMU in rebounding in 1953/54 and led CMU to one
of its few victories over the University of Michigan. So I guess Frank, the
Minnesota boy who played on a State Championship Team when he was in the
eighth grade (1909), could say he passed on his love of sport to his family.
**Frank Leopold Kelly is my grandfather. My mother Ruth Elaine Kelly was
Franks youngest daughter.
The Frank Leopold Kelly Family
1. Frank Leopold Kelly, Born December 16, 1893, Rush Lake, Minnesota.
Died June 3, 1957, Flint, Michigan. Married Stella Louise Thiese (Kelly)
August 26, 1915, Yankton, South Dakota.
2. Stella Louise (Thiese) Kelly. Born August 22, 1891, Postville, Iowa.
Died May 19, 1958, Flint, Michigan.
3. James Lewis Kelly, Born April 3, 1918, Flint, Michigan. Died July 22,
1951, Flint, Michigan. Married Sue Pennington/California.
4. Dorothy Magdalena Kelly. Born December 4, 1919, Flint, Michigan. As
of 2012 92 years old. Living at the Elizabeth House in Clio, Michigan.
5. Earl Francis Kelly, Born March 26, 1921, Flint, Michigan. Died
September 5, 1996, Dayton, Ohio. (Kettering) Married Esther Evans (Kelly) in
1943 (Ohio). Esther Kelly died on February 19, 2012 near Kettering Ohio.
6. Marguerite Kelly. Born September 30, 1922, Flint, Michigan.
Died….Flint, Michigan. Married Daryl DeRyk, Tarzana, California. Died October
6, 2003, Burton, Michigan. (near Flint, Mi)
7. Frank Robert Kelly (Bob). Born November 22, 1923, Flint, Michigan.
Married Edith?
8. Ruth Elaine Kelly (Wernette). Born December 31, 1925, flint,
Michigan. Died December 21, 2008, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Married George
Wernette August 16, 1949, Flint, Michigan. Previous marriage; James Oliver
Diamond; married October 2, 1946 in Lucas County, Ohio. Justice of the
Peace#161281; Divorced James Oliver Diamond on September 30, 1947. One child;
Kelly Diamond Wernette; born 08/23/1947.
9. Donald Eugene Kelly. Born August 31, 1927, Flint, Michigan. Died
October 25, 1991, Waterford, Michigan. Married Betty Failing on June 12,
1948, Flint, Michigan. Betty (Failing) Kelly died October 29, 2004, Waterford,
Michigan. Don and Betty Kelly adopted 6 Children.
Submitted by: Kelly Wernette, March 2012