ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Permanent Deacon Walter F. Kelly, Jr., died on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

Deacon Kelly was born on March 9, 1930, in Passaic, New Jersey. He attended Nutley High School in Nutley, New Jersey, and received a B.S. degree from St. Peter=s College in North Jersey. He married Virginia Tessalone on October 5, 1957. They had three children: Beth Ann, David and Robert. Virginia died on February 22, 2007, due to cancer.

Deacon Kelly was ordained for the Archdiocese of Newark on December 12, 1976, by Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety. He was then assigned to serve at Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Bloomfield, New Jersey, where he remained until he moved to Pennsylvania in 1986. Deacon Kelly was assigned to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Doylestown, in May 1986 and served there until his retirement in March 2005. He also served as the Business Manager at Our Lady of Mount Carmel for nearly twenty years. Deacon Kelly was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on December 12, 2001.

A viewing will be held on Monday, April 20, 2009, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and Tuesday, April 21, 2009, from 10:00-11:00 a.m., at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Doylestown. In the absence of Cardinal Rigali, Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone will celebrate a Funeral Mass for Deacon Kelly at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Doylestown, on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at 11 a.m. Concelebrating the Funeral Mass will be Reverend Charles H. Hagan and Reverend James P. Olson. Deacon George Corwell will be the homilist.

Deacon Kelly is survived by three children, Beth Ann (Thad) Makowski, David (Michelle), and Robert (Allison), and five grandchildren: Adrienne, Michael, Erin, Paige and Ian. Interment will be at Saint Mary's Cemetery, Doylestown.

Contact
Bonnie Olinger
Communications Assistant
215-587-3747