I miss you and always will.  Everyday I think of you and the love I have for you will never die. Believing that you are in a better place resting in peace is what consoles me. 

Veronica 

Love you and miss you and always will!
There is no coming to terms with me losing you!
But I know you are in a much better place.
Today your family cherish the memories we created together.
We celebrate your new life in a very simple way you would have liked us to.
Eternally in love with you!

Dad
It’s hard to believe that the two of us thought the other person was the better man. I hate the thought that we could never get over the things that happened when I was 16 years old. On October 12, 1983 you was a great man and adopted Leslie and I. Growing up in Garland Texas you taught me some things that I will never forget, work ethic and safety. That sounds funny but I remember going to Southwestern Bell safety days and how  you would give us rides in the bucket truck that you worked. You showed us your skills that you got while working for the telephone company. I always thought that it was really cool you worked on Kelly Street in Dallas. You taught me how to ride a bike. I can remember you pushing me down the street and me running in the park cars, not knowing how to stop.  Me riding  my bike through the grass in the front yard and you getting so mad because of the grass you work so hard to get I was using as a soft crash pad.You taught me how to be competitive and how to win. Watching you play third base on a slow pitch softball team on the weekends and winning at all cost.  One of best memories that you did was teach me how to camp and how to deer hunt. You taught me how to shoot a gun, how to shoot a bow and how to shoot a deer. I can remember riding in the back of the truck from Garland to Fairfield to the deer lease for the weekend. Setting up the tent, cooking out and getting up the next morning to go sit in a Deerstand for hours. One of the best things you ever was give me a baseball glove and a bat. You were my coach and one of my biggest fans. You taught me how to love the game, and how to win. You taught me compassion for others. I still use that today as a firefighter, paramedic, and police officer.
I always thought in the back of my mind and heart that one day we could get over the past. I’m sorry that never happened. Please do me a favor and meet your grandson. Rest in peace and I love you. I’ll see you on the other side.

Sean 

It’s difficult to find the right words to honor Joe. I was practically an adult when he and my mom married. While he wasn’t around when I was a kid, he was around for the important adult stuff. He was a supportive of me during tough times and encouraged me. He put family first and set a wonderful example of a father and provider. We enjoyed his company and he was someone we considered a friend. There will be an empty seat on our couch during football season.  I will miss him dearly. Until we meet again, we will take you on new adventures with us in our hearts.

Uncle Joe- My heart hurts to be writing this, you were not supposed to leave us so soon. You have always been such a prominent figure in my life, and I am so grateful for all the time I did have with you. You have always been one of the most caring, compassionate, and giving people I have ever met. You will always hold an incredibly special place in the hearts of John, our kids, and I. We love and miss you so very much!
Love always,
Kris, John, Analiese, Wesley, and Jonah Schell

TO MY LITTLE BROTHER
You’re still here in my heart.
Still making me laugh because your stories live on.
I hold you in a thought and I can feel you.
I feel you and this gives me strength and courage.
I will always hold you in my heart.
You will forever be in my life, my brother
I’m going to miss your shinning face.
You’re still here in my heart.
My dearest little brother and best friend.  You were amazing – the best brother ever. You embodied everything that is good and bright in this world. You had such kindness throughout your life. There wasn’t anything you wouldn’t do for those lucky enough to be your loved one.  
I keep replaying memories from our childhood that are special and unique to you and I. We grew up as best friends, playmates, and roommates. We shared that small bedroom when we were little kids – bunkbeds, a little dresser and desk, a closet filled with our clothes and toys. We always felt safe and happy in our home filled with love and our wonderful family. We never wanted for anything and had such special parents who gave us endless support, love, opportunities, values.
I’m remembering those hot summer days in El Paso playing with our friends all around our neighborhood. Climbing our big trees, hide-n-seek, mother-may-I, cowboys and Indians, chase, tetherball, our sandbox filled with tunnels we thought we were digging to China and our cars and trucks building roads. Our little swing set, dressing up our happy little dog Tiki and hauling her around in our wagon, roller skating around the block with friends, riding our bikes miles, walking to the little store with Dad and buying penny candy (that was always so special!!). Climbing our rock walls and walking on top trying not to fall off, playing baseball in the Zeigler’s backyard with our friends, football and baseball in the street at Vizdek’s house with neighbor friends. Swimming every day, swim team practice, diving and flips off the diving board. We never were alone.  We were always together as kid

How about our hamsters, Peanuts and Chris? And then all the babies that got out and hid under the washing machine? And our little turtles that we let race down the hallway? And horseback riding - we loved it when Mom would drop us off at Hollenbeck Stables outside town and we’d take off riding through the desert together? We’d chase jack rabbits on horseback. And how we loved watching our favorite TV shows and cartoons – The Flintstones, Mickey Mouse Club, Gilligan’s Island, Davy Crocket and Daniel Boone, Looney Tunes, Lost in Space – what a simple and happy life!  
Always church every Sunday dressed in our best outfits, meatless Fridays, donuts with peanut butter for breakfast, Mom’s enchiladas, Sunday dinners of roast and potatoes, breakfast out for pancakes after Mass. And our wonderful Christmas and Easter celebrations with the finest Christmas tree Mom could find. We’d spend hours hunting for that special tree that met her approval. Then our family outings to Western Playland, and volunteering at the zoo – so many happy memories of our childhood together. 


Family vacations to Terre Haute where our parents grew up – Mom and Pop Hughes, Aunt Louise and Uncle Jim, Betty and Jerry and our cousins. And Aunt Helen and Uncle Lew in Albuquerque and more cousins. Trips to White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns and camping. Trips to LA to visit Susie and family, Disneyland, Knots Berry Farm, the beach, San Diego Zoo. Gosh we were lucky little kids, weren’t we? 
Playing baseball was your thing for sure. All those games we sat and watched over many years and your aspirations of playing professionally someday. How proud you were when you lettered in baseball at Dublin High School in California.  
Family and caring for those you loved was always your priority. You provided a wonderful life for your family and extended family. You were always loving, compassionate, and self-sacrificing for others. As we all moved on in our lives we gathered together often – usually around Mom and Dad, family trips, weddings and holidays. Hiking, camping, and time in the mountains kept us connected. Dogs too as we both have always had that love for animals. It was fun to hike the Fountain Creek Trail and Palmer Park trails often with you and our dogs. And our family trips to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park hiking and loving nature. What fun to spend time together at the cabins at the Y-Camp at Estes – hiking, loving the deer, elk, moose and nature.
You’ll always be my little brother, my best friend.  These memories are special and you’re the only one in my life to share in them. No one will ever know these wonderful memories except you and me. This part of our lives was ours and ours alone.  I’ll miss you every day of my life. I honor you with respect and love for a life well-lived. One filled with compassion and heartfelt empathy for every person you touched.  
My brother, my best friend. I love you! I will always hold you in my heart.
Your loving sister ~ Donna


Joe my love,

It 's hard to believe that you are no longer here with me to have a cup of coffee with me every morning and to see you read the paper while we would listen to the news just to move on with our day soon after that.   I miss you in so many ways, our moments together while watching our shows at night, our flirting smiles to each to each other. I miss your wisdom, our conversations, miss seeing you in and out at times trying to look for something to fix around inside or outside our home.  Talking about our upbringings, high school memories, past life experiences but mostly I enjoyed our conversations from time to time about how we met and how we formed our family together from 2 different cultures.  We certainly had our ups and downs through out our life together but somehow we endured those challenges and we did it!


Joe, I am glad I had the opportunity to thank you for having done your best in taking care of this family and I glad to have known that you felt that I had done the same for you honey!


I will always cherish our memories of the trips we took as the kids were growing up and the ones that you and I got take by ourselves.  One day, I will reunite with you and it's not going to be for just close  to a quarter of a century, but it will be forever.

While I will still be here on this earth, I will continue to love you from here to eternity!

Veronica


To the coolest grandfather,
There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think of you and the memories we share. You always seemed to know the right thing to say. You were always patient with me and reminded me that it was okay to be a kid. That it was okay to make mistakes.
I hope to one day take those memories and be the light in someone else’s life, the way you were for mine and so many others. 
I will continue to celebrate you with long hikes, rejuvenating yoga practices, and every beautiful moment of life. You will forever be one of the greatest parts of home. 
I love you old man. Rest In Peace.

How do you say good bye to a great guy? I will be forever thankful that Taylor has such a wonderful influence in his life. Joe loved his family , and his ability to make everyone feel loved , valued , and secure is one of his greatest strengths.  Over the years Joe, Veronica, and I  bonded over the ones we all loved and cared for.  One of my favorite memories  of Joe and Taylor is when Taylor  was 6 weeks old. We were at a machine pitch baseball practice and a foul ball came flying over the fence. I didn’t even see where it was until Joe caught it right over Taylor. This is the kind of parent he is, keeping them safe . During Taylor’s teen years he kept me from being too overprotective . 
Taylor, Josh, and Veronica  there are no words that adequately express my sorrow for your loss. 

To my dearest Little Brother, Joey

You will be missed so very much.  In my memory of you, you will always be that lovely little toddler that I helped care for growing up.  I may not have lived near you during most of our lives, but my love for you has been constant.  I pray that you are at peace and smiling down on all of us.  Your life was too short, but you lived a good life and enriched the lives of all those around you.  Love you forever, my Little Joe.

Your big Sis, Sue

My dad loved hiking. He loved being outside, he loved being with his family doing different things outdoors with us. I'm going to miss hiking with you dad. I'm going to miss just being around you. You were a great friend, but an even better dad. 

OBITUARY

Joseph Patrick Kelly

24 May, 1958 – 26 February, 2021

Dove-Witt Family Mortuary

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services