Frank Kelley

Frank Kelley, Veteran Newspaperman, Found Dead At Home

Frank Kelley, a resident of the Keeline community for the past thirty years, passed away suddenly at his home near that town last Wednesday evening, May 22, 1940. He was 86 years and 18 days of age at the time of his passing.

Mr. Kelley was born in Grass Valley California, May 4, (1854). He entered newspaper work while a young man and followed that profession for many years, having engaged in newspaper work in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. During this period he was publisher at Odebot, Orange City and Hawarden, Iowa; Woonsocket, South Dakota and Hartington, Nebraska. While a resident of South Dakota he served also as county auditor of Sanbron County.

He was united in marriage to Hattie Ella Kenyon at Jessup, Iowa, July 16, 1878. Five children were born to bless this union and who are left to mourn his passing. Mrs. Kelley preceded her husband in death in 1932, while the couple were (residing) on the farm southwest of Keeline. His son, George W. Kelley of Duluth, Minnesota; and a daughter, Mrs. O. D. Courtner of Ogden, Utah were present for their father's funeral services.

Kelley was most widely known in this state for his column of "Farm Facts and Fancies" which appeared monthly in the Wyoming Stockman-Farmer published at Cheyenne. The deceased also was a writer of fiction as well as agricultural articles and quite a number of his works were accepted by various magazines.

Since the passing of his wife the old gentleman had continued to make his home on his farm a short distance from town, where he lived alone despite his advanced years. He was particularly active for one of his age and even though he had not been actively engaged in newspaper work for many years he retained his keen interest in that profession.

On Wednesday evening of last week a neighbor had stopped to visit with Mr. Kelley a few minutes as he was passing the old gentleman's home. He had rented the land to the neighbor to pasture cattle and as the neighbors passed the home most every day they stopped to visit. When he was not noticed Thursday morning, they went to his house and discovered he had passed away, evidently quite suddenly as he was preparing his evening's meal.

Funeral services were held on Monday afternoon of this week, May 27, 1940, at 2:30 o'clock at the Keeline church with Rev. P. H. Evans officiating. Burial was made at the Jireh cemetery beside his wife.

Pall bearers were Roy Elkins, Seward Coleman, Burnice Cox, Jake Salak, LaVon Pfeifer and Ben Brown. Mrs. Clara Whelan, Mrs. Seward Coleman, C. E. Pfeifer and Roy Elder sang "(Blest) Be the Tie That Binds," "Jesus Lover of My Soul," and "Nearer My God to Thee" accompanied at the piano by Mrs. Rasmusen. At the cemetery the quartet sang "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again."

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