David Bruce Kelly, age 80 years of Niles, Michigan; husband, father, grandfather, devout Christian, sports enthusiast, and “Captain Rite Aid” died peacefully on Monday morning, May 5, 2025 at Corewell Health Lakeland Niles hospital following a brief illness. His family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staffs at West Woods of Niles, and Pawating Hospital, especially Dr. Claudine Curioso-Hughes.
He was born on November 11, 1944 in Goshen, Indiana to Walter L. and Marvel L. (Marks) Kelly, moving as a young child with his family to Niles. He was graduated with the Class of 1962 of Niles High School, and continued his education at Southwestern Michigan College, from which he earned an Associates Degree in Business Management. He was first employed at the former Niles plant of Simplicity Pattern Company, in the Bookbinding department where he achieved the Journeyman qualification. When Simplicity closed, he was briefly employed at Niles Printing, before beginning a new career at the former Perry Drugs, and its successor, the former Niles store of Rite Aid. Whether he was stocking shelves, taking inventory, or running the cash register, David greeted and chatted with nearly every client and customer who came in the door for thirty years prior to his retirement in 2021.
David was a member of the Community Evangelical Free Church in Niles for 38 years, where he also served as an usher, and when younger served as an adult youth leader. He was raised in the former Grace Evangelical United Brethren church in Niles (later Grace United Methodist, and now a part of New Journey United Methodist), which – as a child – he watched the “new” stone building being constructed at the corner of Grant and Lincoln. He had also been a member of the former Fulkerson Park Baptist Church (now Redeemer Church) in Niles.
As a young man, David was an accomplished Fastpitch Softball pitcher, playing on a regional league, and often played basketball at “the Y”. He enjoyed fast cars – which he might have driven fast – owning successively a 1965 Ford Mustang, a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, and a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle. In more recent years, he enjoyed target shooting with a polished chrome western revolver, and feeding the birds in the backyard. He was always active, and kept a schedule of tasks to accomplish, which included having peanutbutter cookies fresh out of the oven when his children came home from school. His family was his greatest joy.
Perhaps one of those fast cars convinced Simplicity co-worker Doris to go for a ride with David. On June 27, 1970 at Fulkerson Church, he was married to the former Doris L. Holik, with whom he celebrated last year the remarkable Fifty-fourth anniversary of their wedding. They were sadly preceded in death by a grandson, Josiah David Kelly in 2016, and by David’s parents, Walt and Marvel Kelly.
Surviving family includes his wife, Doris Kelly, and their children, Jeremy (& Alexandria) Kelly of Omaha, Nebraska and Susana Kelly of Niles; grandchildren, Savannah Glenn-Phillips and Nathaniel Kelly; and David’s brother, Larry W (& Marcie) Kelly of Stevensville, Michigan, and a cousin, Melanie (& Bruce) Spychalski of Petoskey, Michigan.
Services for David Kelly will be on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Community Evangelical Free Church, 120 East Bertrand Road in Niles, with Pastor Bradley J. Clear of the church officiating. Committal will be private, at a later date, at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Online condolences may be left at: www.halbritterwickens.com
Eighty years is a wonderfully long life, and David enjoyed all of it. He was fascinated by everything, and could carry a conversation with old friends as well as “just-met” friends about their interests. He was amused by small details such as the redundant “11 11” of his birthdate, and would be pleased to match that with his deathdate of “05 05”. Above all, he loved his wife, his grandchildren, and his children; fulfilling the Biblical command to Love God and Love people.
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Service Schedule
Upcoming Services
Funeral Service
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Community Evangelical Free Church
120 E Bertrand Rd, Niles, MI 49120
Posted On: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 5:03 PM
