Raymond B. Kelly

Raymond Kelly, 88, Dies; Beloved Family Man, Attorney and Korean War Veteran

Raymond Bartholomew Kelly, retired Attorney and Shareholder at Tulsa’s Hall-Estill Law Firm, Veteran, Father and Grandfather, born in Chicago, Illinois on October 4, 1928 to Francis Kelly and Rose Fitzgerald Kelly as the third of eight children, died peacefully in his home the morning of Thursday, April 27, 2017.

Growing up in the Irish Catholic Southside Chicago, Ray, as his friends and family knew him, had a deep love for music and the arts and often spoke of saving his money to take his mother, Rose, to hear classical music performances downtown.

He graduated from St. Mary’s College in Wisconsin in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and worked for a year selling scientific instruments until he allowed himself to be drafted into the Korean War and served for two years. Though he received several honors and four medals, he rarely spoke of his time as a soldier.

After the war, he felt called to the priesthood and studied for a short time at Boston College but ultimately chose to attend Northwestern Law School and became an attorney.

He became reacquainted with Alice Gerrity at a church dance, waited three weeks to call her, and asked her to marry him three months later.

On June 10, 1961, the two were married at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Chicago. In 1963 they had their first child, Raymond.

The couple moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1964 and in 1966 they had their second child, James. Their daughter, Marie and Kathleen, were born the following years and their final child, David, was born in 1969.

Ray moved his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1971, when he began working as a corporate attorney, with Hall-Estill Law Firm. He and Alice built their home in Gilcrease Hills where they raised their children and attended Immaculate Conception Church.

Later, he and his wife became parishioners at Christ the King Catholic Church. He sang tenor in the choir, he participated in many inter-faith efforts and social justice issues. The couple received an award for their lifetime efforts working for social justice causes in Tulsa.

In 1998, he retired to be a full time grandfather and helped raise his two eldest grandchildren, Emma and Julia Kraus. Much of the following years were spent with his family and his community.

He continued singing in the Christ the King choir, playing piano, driving housebound friends to doctor’s appointments and delivering Meals on Wheels until just two years before his death.

Though he was also diagnosed with cancer, Ray died of complications related to Parkinson’s Disease.

He is survived by his wife, Alice and her family, their children and spouses, eight living grandchildren, his sister Rosemary and his sister-in-law Margie and their families.

Ray was always ready to help others who needed him. He devoted his life to being of service to his family, his faith and his community. He was an advisor, a peacemaker and the beloved patriarch of his family. He will be dearly missed.

A Scripture Service will be Monday, May 1, 2017 at 7:00pm at Parish of Christ the King. Catholic Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at 10:30am at Parish of Christ the King. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donation to Tulsa Meals on Wheels and Christ the King Catholic Church.

Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt’s Tulsa Funeral Service. Family and friends may send memories and condolences to the family, online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com.