Elwood G. Kelley

(The) Rev. Elwood Gardner Kelley, Independence, MO., died May 9, 2006. Services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 12, 2006 at the First Baptist Church in Independence. Visitation will precede the services starting at 10:00 a.m., until service time Friday at the church. Graveside services will be at 3:00 p.m., Friday at the Englewood Cemetery in Clinton, MO. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Baptist Home or to the First Baptist Church of Independence. Elwood was born in Holden, MO September 16, 1922 and graduated from Holden High School. While working at Watkins Drug Store in Clinton he met his bride to be whom he married November 19, 1942. They have enjoyed 63 years of married life. Survivors include; his wife Betty of the home, a son Micheal and wife Brenda, Excelsior Springs. MO; two daughters, Patricia K. Weary of Independence and Carol Lea D�Attoma and husband John of Ridgewood, NJ; five grandsons, Grant Kelley, Excelsior Springs, MO, Jon Kelley, Lee�s Summit, MO, Jeff Weary, Blue Springs, Ken Weary, Kirkland, WA and Blake Browning of Blue Springs, MO; two great grandsons and one great granddaughter. He enlisted in the Army Air Force in January 1942; served in the European Theatre conflict for 19 months. He was awarded six Bronze Stars for Air Offensive Europe: Normandy, Ardennes, Central Europe, Rhineland, Northern France and the Bronze Star Medal. He was discharged on September 11, 1945. He was Ordained and set apart to the ministry August 24, 1947 by the First Baptist Church, Clinton, MO. Following student Pastorates, he served the Lone Jack Baptist Church, Wellington Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, Tipton, MO, First Baptist Church of Centralia, MO and the First Baptist Church of Richmond, MO. He served on the Missouri Baptist Convention�s Executive Board six years, two as Chairman; Member of the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for ten years. He retired from the Missouri Baptist Convention in January 1986 after 14 years. After retiring he was active in Missouri serving as Interim Pastor or Pulpit Supply until his health failed. He attended Southwest Baptist University at Bolivar, and graduated from Missouri State University at Warrensburg and had attended Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, KS. He was honored by Southwest Baptist University in August of 1972 by bestowing upon him an Honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology.

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