Mobridge Tribune

Popular Categories

No categories found.

Michael Kelly was a proud Irishman


Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there… I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow…
I am the diamond glints on snow…
I am the sunlight on ripened grain…
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you waken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of gentle birds in circling flight…
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry—
I am not there… I did not die.

~Mary Elizabeth Frye, 1932 ~

In Loving Memory
Michael James Kelly
July 3, 1950 – September 15, 2019
Michael James Kelly, of Mobridge, passed away on Sept. 15, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, Minn., with his wife and children at his side.
Michael was born in Hutchinson, Minn., to John and Clara Kelly, the third of seven children. The couple moved, and Michael grew up and attended school in Crookston, Minn. His father, John, died when Michael was a child and his mother, Clara, raised the children from that time. He attended Moorhead State College, where he met and married his wife, Mary. He worked for a short time at the penitentiary in St. Cloud, Minn., before settling in Mobridge.
Michael enjoyed life, but it was his work, his Irish heritage, and his hobbies that brought him joy and purpose. Michael worked in child protection for the State of South Dakota for 40-plus years. He worked tirelessly to protect children and promote healthy families.
Michael would go to the mat with anyone who suggested he was not 100 percent Irish. He loved everything about Ireland: the music, the food, the television shows, and the way they “saved civilization.” While he was never able to visit the Emerald Isle, it held his heart his entire life. Michael’s favorite hobbies were reading, gardening, and home brewing. Visitors to his home were encouraged to leave with a handful of books after sitting down for a pint of homemade beer and an hour (or two) of conversation out on the deck.
Michael loved fully and deeply. His family was truly his first priority and passion. His love for his wife, Mary, was a strong example to the two sons he raised, Shawn and Ryan, who are wonderful husbands to their wives Michelle and Liza, respectively. His grandchildren were the light of his life: Maddie, Christopher, Shannan, Logan, and Bridgid. He recently was able to connect with another son, Rod, his wife Joalyn, and daughters Amelia and Sydney. Michael was excited to meet them and surely sorry he could not have known them better. His siblings were also important in his life: John and Beth, Ann, Katie and Raymond, Sue and Bruce, Tom and Denise, Patrick and Anis. Kelly family gatherings were filled with loud laughter and embellished stories.
Michael had the most contagious energy and humor; it rubbed off on those around him almost instantly. While he spent a lot of his life dealing with chronic pain, he didn’t let it make him bitter or take any of his frustrations out on anyone else. He left the world a little bit better wherever he went, sowing kindness, generosity, and laughter in those that he met.
To quote his son, Ryan, the world is “a little less awesome” without Michael in it.
Mike is reunited in heaven with his parents, Clara and John; his in-laws Gen and Roy Michaelson; long-time colleagues and friends, Virginia and John; and his favorite dog, Rudy. He and Rudy are likely sitting together by a lake fishing endlessly.
A memorial service will be held Oct. 19, 2019, at Austin Congregational UCC in Austin, Minn., at 3 p.m. An Irish wake will be held next spring at Pine Beach Resort in Perham, Minn. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Michael’s name to either Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting or the Poverello Foundation at Mayo Clinic, offering financial assistance to needy families.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *