Edwin Joseph Kelly, Jr.

WILMINGTON - Edwin J. Kelly, Jr., 99, of Bridgeville, DE passed away on November 14, 2014, in Wilmington Hospital, exactly two months shy of his 100th birthday. His final days were spent in the company of his loving family. He was the son of the late Edwin J. Kelly Sr. and Helen Ford Kelly of Hyattsville, MD.

Born in Washington, DC on January 14, 1924, he was raised in Hyattsville, MD. After high school graduation, he attended the University of Maryland. Ed enlisted in the Army in 1942, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant Infantry at Fort

Benning, GA on December 7, 1943. He served more than two years in the Asiatic- Pacific Theater during World War II and participated in the Leyte and Okinawa campaigns. Ed was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal with two bronze stars and the Occupation Medal of Japan as well as the Asiatic-Pacific campaign Medal and the World War II Victory medal. In September 1946, he was released from active duty as a Captain, and returned to the University of Maryland to complete his college education and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree in Horticulture. Ed was in the active Army Reserve with the 540th Amphibious Tractor Battalion and the 317th Tank Battalion, headquartered in Seaford, DE, rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel, and was named Commander of the 2372nd Tank Battalion at the Mason-Dixon Memorial US Army Reserve Center in Seaford. He retired in 1984.

While serving in Leyte, Philippines, Ed met the love of his life, Elizabeth Bullard. They were married on June 14, 1947. They moved to Bridgeville, DE where Ed began a career with HP Cannon and Son and worked there for 34 years, retiring as the Head of Sales. He then worked for O.A. Newton until his retirement in 1989. Ed and his wife were married for 59 years until her death in April of 2006.

Ed was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Bridgeville for many years serving as president in 1957. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Bridgeville Building and Loan Association for 24 years until his retirement in 2020 at age 96.

After Ed’s retirement from full-time work, he continued to enjoy riding his bicycle, reading, and gardening and was a member of the Our Lady of Lourdes prayer group. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and uncle. Ed cherished time spent with family and will be dearly missed.

Ed is survived by a daughter, Diane Kelly Hill, of Alexandria, VA and a daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Joe Creazzo of Wilmington, DE. He also leaves behind a sister Nancy (Phil) Paré of Raleigh, NC., six grandchildren: Kelly Anne (Charles) Roman, Lucas Hill, Timothy Creazzo (Cathy), Carolina Hershey, Andrew Hill (Shadi), and Wendy Hill (Stefan) and ten great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held on Sunday, December 3rd, 2023, from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM, at Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Hardesty Chapel, 202 Laws St., Bridgeville, DE 1993. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 4, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 528 E. Stein Hwy, Seaford, DE 19973. Burial will follow at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery, 26223 Seaford Rd, Seaford, DE 19973.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Ed’s memory to Our Lady of Lourdes, 528 E. Stein Hwy, Seaford, DE 19973.

Please visit Ed’s Life Memorial Webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.