Thomas S. Kelly

Tom Kelly, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and colleague, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2010 from Pulmonary Fibrosis. Tom was born on July 24, 1931, in Biloxi, Mississippi to Eugene and Anna Kelly. Tom grew up in Waukegan, Illinois and Biloxi, Mississippi. He is a graduate of both the University of Texas and the College of Law at the University of Denver.

Tom married his wife of 57 years, May Habenicht, on June 28th, 1952 in San Antonio, Texas. He began his career as an accountant in Kilgore and Diboll, Texas. After joining the FBI in 1957 Tom and May lived in several locations, finally settling down in Denver. There he worked for several companies, including Cameron & Jones, C.A. Norgren and Outdoor Sports. The family moved to Colorado Springs in 1975 where Tom became the Chief Financial Officer for Looart Press, Inc., the parent company of Current Inc. At Looart, Tom developed what became a long term, trusted friendship with the owners, Dusty and Gary Loo. This relationship carried over to Tom’s work at High Valley Group where he was first the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and later as the Executive Officer, Manager and part owner of La Plata investments. Tom retired from High Valley Group in 2008 at the age of 76.

A man who touched the lives of many, Tom will be remembered for the ways he served his fellow man. Whether it was his caring outreach and generosity to friends and family or his devotion to Church and work, Tom dedicated his time and energy to serving others. Tom had a strong sense of Duty - duty to his family, Church, friends, colleagues, and to those many in need. While he was honored throughout his lifetime with many awards and recognitions, the work and service itself were Tom’s greatest reward. Tom was involved in many organizations. He was a board member of the National Office Management Society, the Financial Executives Institute, National Taxpayers Union and the El Paso County Board of Retirement. Tom was actively involved in St. Vincent De Paul Parish while living in Denver and later at Corpus Christi and St. Francis of Assisi parishes in Colorado Springs. Tom was also an avid supporter of Saint Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs where he was a member of the school board.

He is survived by his wife, May; daughter, Jeanne Konkel, of Sheridan, WY; son, Tim, and his wife, Patty, of Los Altos, CA; daughter, Lisa Williams, and her husband, Brant, of Portland, OR; daughter, Joan Pappin, and her husband, Matt, of Brownsville, OR; son, David, and his wife, Sue, of Mason, OH; grandchildren, Sarah, Lindsay, Mary, Erik, Joe, Brendan, Patricia, Maureen, Christopher and Timothy; brother, Robert, and his wife Teresa, of Puyallup, WA; and several nieces and nephews.

A Rosary will be held Thursday, February 25th, at 5:00 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 2650 Parish View, Colorado Springs, followed immediately by a Wake from 5:30 to 7:30 in the Parish Hall. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, February 26th, at 10:00 a.m. also at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s memory can be given to National Jewish Health, P.O. Box 17169, Denver, CO 80217-0169. http://www.nationaljewish.org/help/index.aspx - Please specify that the donation be used for Pulmonary Fibrosis research.

Arrangements under the direction of Swan-Law Funeral Directors, Colorado Springs, CO.