William Harold Kelly III

William H. Kelly III, 90, a resident of Niantic for the past 10 years and of Old Lyme prior to that, passed away on Sunday, March 10th at William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich. At his request, no service will be held.

Bill was born on August 27, 1933 (also a Sunday) in Boston to William H. Kelly Jr. and Evelyn I. (Smith) Kelly. He is predeceased by both parents, his younger sister Patricia M. Leach and younger brother Donald A. Kelly.

Bill studied at Northeastern University and, while finishing up his third year in the spring of 1954, went with a friend down to South Weymouth Naval Air Station to sign up to be an Aviation Cadet in the Navy. In March of 1956, he earned his wings and commission and began his 40-year career as a pilot.

After 4 years active-duty service, Bill went back to Northeastern and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1961. Bill worked for a few companies after graduation and flew as a reservist for the navy for another 8 years before applying to Pan American Airways. He was hired in 1965 as a Navigator. In time, he became a Co-Pilot and then a Captain, flying the 707, 747, DC-10 and the L-1011.

In 1981, he met and married Claudia Pyle from Long Island, New York. Their wedding took place on his sailboat in Milford, Ct. which they then sailed north to Bar Harbor, Maine, making stops in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In 1986, Pan Am sold their Pacific routes to United Airlines and Bill and Claudia moved to the west coast and found a place in San Jose, California. Both became golf addicts, wine aficionados and enjoyed trips to visit China, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. In 1992, they returned to Connecticut and had a house built in Old Lyme. They joined the Black Hall Club and enjoyed an active retirement until moving to Niantic in 2013 where Bill honed his woodworking skills in his basement workshop. He made trays, coffee tables, cabinets, and benches, but is most well-known for his birdhouses. His inventory accumulated so much that he started a business called Bill’s Boxes and started selling them through his e-mail and stores in Old Saybrook and Mystic. Bill's other hobbies over the years included music, photography, and fishing (especially with his uncle, Dayton Smith). Bill was a long-time subscriber to "Clipper Pioneers", a newsletter for retired Pan American pilots and employees in which they share their stories, celebrate past Pan Am Airways achievements and coordinate reunions. Many of Bill's stories were published in the newsletter. Bill was also a frequent contributor to the Letter’s to the Editor column of The Day.

In 2023, at the age of 89, Bill took a trip down memory lane to Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. The highlight of the visit was a chance to fly the FA-18 Super Hornet in the simulator. His takeoff, flying time and landing were performed flawlessly.

Bill leaves behind Claudia, his wife, partner, and CFO of 42 years. Family includes sister-in-law, Carol Kelly; brother-in-law, Bruce (Christina) Pyle; nieces, Donna Kelly, Kathleen (James) Johnson, Pamela Teague, Diane McKillip (Marcus), Linda (Jim) Long, Jennifer Pyle, and Lisa Giglione Riehl; and nephew, Derek Kelly (Lori). First cousins include, Mark (Laura) Smith, Kristine (Dick) Brennen, Paul Tellstrom (Carl), RuthAnn (Kenneth) Fleming, Russell (Jamey) Smith, Gary Smith, and Richard West.