Charles Joseph Kelly

Charlie lived a long and exuberant life. Growing up in Buffalo, New York, he went to St Joseph Collegiate High School and graduated from Canisius College in 1944.

Charlie and his loving wife, Katherine Elkins, daughter of Senator Davis Elkins and granddaughter of Senator Stephen B. Elkins and Senator HG Davis, started their lifelong romance in 1947. Charlie was attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, while Katy was attending George Washington Law School when his roommate asked the dashing Naval Academy Lieutenant on a double date with the Elkins sisters. As fate would have it, Katy answered the door and thus began a 70-year romance that found the couple traveling the world, raising a family and running a successful natural resource business.

Charlie had a distinguished military career, raising to rank of Marine Corps Captain, spent 18 months in Korea and was on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff. Upon leaving the service at age 30, Charlie started a new career as an investment banker in New York City. Gregarious, outgoing and a natural salesperson, Charlie was instantly successful and eventually became the National Sales Manager for Hayden Stone Inc. Retiring from the brokerage industry at age 55, Charlie focused on his personal portfolio, while actively managing their West Virginia holdings. As President of Kelly Management Inc and E&K Properties, Mr. Kelly maintained an office at 21 Fifth Street in Elkins for over 30 years.

Never one to step away from a challenge and always ready for change, Charlie and Katy moved to St Croix, USVI, in 1984 for an exquisite empty nes-ter lifestyle. After building a home in St Croix, Charlie conceived and built Point Mountain Wilderness Hunting Lodge in Randolph County, West Virginia.

The annual family gatherings at the “Point” were epic, and Charlie was never so happy as sitting on the porch with a grandchild on his knee. Even with all the moves, Katy and Charlie maintained a home in Elkins, West Virginia, establishing lifelong friendships.

Charlie is survived by his son Sean his wife, Lori, and their children, Tomo and Mariko. Charlie’s daughter, Reagan Lorenzen, predeceased him in 2013 and is survived by Reagan’s husband, Peter, and their children, Sarah and Kassie; and great-grandson Philip. Special thanks are ex-tended to Yesenia Aguilar, Anjanette Perez and Theresa Olivarez, Charlie’s Angels, for providing loving and compassionate care throughout the years.

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Elizabeth Anne Seton, 8500 Cross Mt Trail, San Antonio, Tx78255(https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Giving/PS-1359) are greatly appreciated