Obituary of James Hayward Kelley

Mr. James Hayward Kelley, Jr., age 76, of Ozark, died Saturday evening, May 19, 2012, in Flowers Hospital. Funeral services will be 2:00 P. M. Tuesday, May 22, 2012, from Ozark Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Steve King and Reverend Ray Jones officiating. Interment will follow in Westview Memorial Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. Mr. Kelley's body will be placed in the church one hour prior to service time on Tuesday. The family will receive friends at Ozark Baptist Church Monday evening from 5:00 P. M. until 7:00 P. M. Mr. Kelley was born December 19, 1935, in Wewahitchka, Florida to the late James Hayward Kelley, Sr. and Erin Andrews Kelley. In 1940 his family moved to Ozark where he attended the Ozark city schools. He was a Boy Scout and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He was the first elected Chief of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, Order of the Arrow. He played football for two years in high school, was class president, and in 1954 graduated as valedictorian of his class. Mr. Kelley received a degree in Civil Engineering from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University). He continued in the Senior Army ROTC Program which led to a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. Following his graduation from Auburn, he went to work with the Alabama Highway Department working on construction projects in southeast Alabama. A blind date provided Mr. Kelley with the opportunity to meet Burnie Rae Lassiter while she was attending Troy State University and later married in 1960. In 1961 the National Guard unit to which he was assigned was called to active duty and was assigned to Fort Irwin, California until August 1962. He continued his military career in the Alabama National Guard for 24 years retiring in 1982 with the rank of LTC. In 1986 a special relationship developed between Mr. Kelley and his daughter, Erin, when she experienced total kidney failure while a sophomore at Troy State University. Testing determined that he was compatible and he donated a kidney to her. In August 1997 he retired from the Alabama Department of Transportation as Division Engineer (23 years) for the Seventh Division with a total of 39 years of service. Affiliations and recognitions are: Member, Deacon of Ozark Baptist Church, Director of Commercial Bank of Ozark, Member of Ozark Rotary Club, Registered Professional Engineer, Member of Dale County Auburn Club, Member of Ozark Industrial Development Advisory Board, Served on the Executive Committee of Alabama-West Florida Boys Scout Council, Member of Auburn University Golden Eagles, Officer of Westview Memorial Cemetery Association, Officer of Alabama Retired State Employees Association, Member of American Legion, 1983 Presented Army Commendation Medal, Designated Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary Club, 2008 Inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizen's Hall of Fame, 2010 Centennial Golden Eagle Honoree - Boy Scouts of America, 2010 Alabama Road Builders Hall of Fame, 2010 Named Claybank Bridge 231 North in honor of James H. Kelley, Jr. Survivors include his wife, Burnie Rae Kelley of Ozark; two daughters and sons-in-law, Starla K. Jones and her husband Marty of Georgiana, Alabama, Erin K. Scott and her husband Jimbo of Dothan; one sister, Elaine K. Van Ness and her husband Norman of Dothan; two grandsons, Dylan Jones and Beau Scott. Several nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family and friends also survive. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Westview Memorial Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 484, Ozark, Alabama 36361. Service Information