Obituary of James Francis Kelly

Jim was born January 8, 1943 in Bronx, New York, and passed away on February 9, 2023.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, Edward and Bridget Kelly. He is survived by his wife, Colleen, brother Tom (Barbara Anne) Kelly, sister Kathleen (Marco) DeZago, and sister Rosemary Kelly. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Jim had many interests and lifetime achievements. In High School, he played the base viola in the orchestra. After graduation, he joined the Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1965. He immediately went to work and got a position in the United Nations. After living in New York, he traveled across country and settled in San Francisco where he became a stock trader. In 1979, he joined the State Department and with a steady rise through the management ranks, he became Passport Supervisor. He received numerous awards including the Foreign Service
Award. In 2003, he was an Honoree in the Federal All-Stars awarded by the San Francisco Bay Area Federal Executive Board as a federal employee of the year.

Through the years, Jim and Colleen enjoyed traveling, visiting many countries and several states in the U.S. They met and laughed with many wonderful people, making lifelong friends. After their careers, Jim and Colleen retired on a ranch in San Joaquin County. Jim was Colleen’s love of life and now emptiness in the heart. He will be truly be missed by all who knew and loved him.

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