Martin Kelly

MARTIN KELLY

Coralville

Martin (Marty) Joseph Kelly passed away Saturday, July 12, 2014, at Windmill Manor in Coralville, Iowa. He was 79.

Born July 7, 1935, in Elizabeth, N.J., Marty was the only child of Martin and Genevieve Kelly. He attended St. Benedicts Prep in Newark, N.J., and graduated from Villanova University in 1957. After college, Marty worked for Thomas & Betts Corporation in Elizabeth, where he met and eventually married the "love of his life," Maryann (Pfeifauf) Kelly. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 13. Marty and Maryann raised four children, moving from New Jersey to Iowa City, in 1973.

Marty was the plant manager for Thomas & Betts in Iowa City, until 1989, after which became president of Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) and remained in that position until his retirement in 2000.

Marty was very active in the Iowa City and Coralville communities. He was a longtime member of Iowa City and Coralville Rotary Clubs, volunteered on several committees at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, served on the Iowa State Bank board of directors, the Mercy Hospital board of directors and served as chair of the Regina School board.

Faith and family were always the most important to Marty, but his other passion was his film collection. For nearly 60 years, he collected memorabilia from classic Westerns, mysteries and serials. Marty shared his hobby as a guest curator for the Hoover Library's "Hollywood Cowboys" exhibit and as a featured presenter for the Humanities Iowa Speaker's Bureau. For several years right up until his passing, a collection of friends known as "The Posse" joined Marty every Thursday for the screening of classic Western films.

Marty is survived by his wife, Maryann of Coralville; and his four children and 10 grandchildren, Kristine (Jeff) Caldwell of Madison, Wis., with children, Alexandra and James; Martin (Julie) Kelly of Lakeville, Minn., with children, Marty, Caroline, Thomas, Nathan and Claire; James (Anne) Kelly of Coralville with children, Jack and Rachel; and Ryan (Vanessa) Kelly of Phoenix, Ariz., with child, Cullen.

Funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 21, at St Thomas More Catholic Church in Coralville. The family will greet friends from 9:30 a.m. until service time. A gathering with refreshments will immediately follow mass in the church social hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Martin Kelly Memorial Fund.

The Kelly Family wishes to extend their deepest appreciation to the staff of Windmill Manor for the care, kindness and friendship given during Marty's 11 month stay.

Online condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com.