John Joseph Kelly

John J. Kelly, age 77, of Decorah, Iowa, died Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, following a lengthy illness. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, October 23, 2004 at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah, by the Rev. Gary F. Krapfl. Burial will be in St. Bridget’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Bluffton, Iowa Visitation is on Friday, October 22, 2004 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Fjelstul Funeral Home, where a parish scripture service will be held at 6:45 P.M. Friends may also call Saturday after 9:00 am at the church. John Joseph Kelly was born May 11, 1927 on the home farm near Burr Oak, Iowa, the son of John L. and Mary V. (Hayes) Kelly. He was educated in Winneshiek County Country Schools. A longtime resident of Decorah, John was employed at the Hotel Winneshiek for more than forty years, where he worked as a bell hop and had various other duties. He also owned and operated Kelly Carpeting in Decorah and later worked for Lowell “Buzz” Bruening. John was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah. He liked to read and enjoyed fishing. John had an interest in cars and was fond of music. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Norbert and two brothers-in-law, Bob Krause and Jim Urias John is survived by his two sisters, Emma Kay Krause of Seward, Nebraska, and Mary Jean Urias of Newton, Iowa; two nieces and four nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.