Dave was born on June 7, 1961 to Henry Lawrence Kelley II and Catherine Leona Kelley, née John in Grandview, Missouri. Dave knew from a young age that he wanted to work on airplanes, so following his graduation from vocational school in 1979 he achieved technical degrees with honors in Airframe and Powerplants from Maple Woods Community College in 1992. While there, he also served as President of the Electronics Club.
During and after graduation from college, Dave started his career at Eastern Airlines as a Ramp Service Technician. He actively participated in the 1989 union strike and was a life-long union member. He later worked as an Aviation Maintenance Technician for Trans World Airlines and American Airlines. In the following decades Dave received many accolades for his workmanship and performed a variety of roles for the airline industry, including as a teacher at Metropolitan Community College. Dave was highly proficient at his craft and took pride in sharing his knowledge.
Dave’s other great passion was music. He was taught to play bass guitar by a mentor at 12 years old and learned the guitar on his own. Dave nurtured a love of music in his children and maintained a small business repairing musical equipment to support their college education. Dave played in several bands with many great friends and will be missed by the Kansas City blues community.
Dave was a dedicated and loving father. He traveled extensively for work to support his family. He was an advocate for after school activities and sports, and is fondly remembered as a great coach. Dave encouraged and supported his kids in achieving higher education and pursuing career dreams. He always stayed connected with his kids, no matter where in the world they were.
Dave loved motorcycles, antiques, Pepsi soda, white button down shirts, and exploring downtown Kansas City. Try as he might to hide it, he loved animals and doted on friends and relative’s pets. He was a terrible record keeper but had a brilliant memory. He could fix just about anything. Dave is fiercely missed.
Dave was predeceased by his parents, Henry Lawrence Kelley II and Catherine Leona Kelley, and by his brothers Christopher Michael Struthers and Henry Lawrence Kelley III. He is survived by his sisters, Debbie Jo Mincey and Renee Cheryl Brownlee; his children Kim, Cherylyn, and David Kelley; his nieces and nephews Amanda Edwards, Kristina Fugitt, Jennifer Baston, Scott Kelley, Meredith Mincey, and Samuel West; and his girlfriend Adrienne Lumsden.
Services will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2003 NE Englewood Road, Kansas City, MO 64118 in Kansas City, Missouri on October 6, visitation begins at 10 am. Dave will be lovingly laid to rest at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri near his parents.
