Thomas B. Kelly

Thomas Bernard Kelly, 66, resident of Rhinebeck, NY, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.  Predeceased by his parents, Patrick Joseph and Frances Bridget Kelly, of Hyde Park, NY, he is survived by a devastated loving family of 9 siblings and their spouses, Mary Buschman-Kelly, JoEllen Wadsworth (Raymond), Catherine Goegel (John), Frances Kelly-Dalessandro (William), Patrick Kelly (Mary), Margaret Kelly, Grace Kelly-Jenny (Nicholas), Maureen Kelly-Ellermann (Peter), and Bernadette Kelly-Daly (Shelley).  He is also survived by 22 nieces and nephews, 29 great nieces and nephews, and numerous cousins.

Born and raised in Oyster Bay, Long Island, Tom previously lived in Mahopac, NY, and Hyde Park, NY.  He was a graduate of St. Anselm’s College, a liberal arts college in Manchester, NH, and worked for many years at Linwood Spiritual Center in Rhinebeck and then, for many more years at The Baptist Home at Brookmeade, Rhinebeck, where he was still employed when he died.

The ninth of ten children born to Pat and “Nancy” Kelly, Tom was an avid reader when he was younger, with particular interest in the history of Native Americans and the 1890 Battle at Wounded Knee.  As a kid, he singularly reenacted, to great effect, US military battles about which he had read though he was no fan of war in general, ever.  In Hyde Park and Rhinebeck, he loved going to the local libraries, attending educational lectures at various local venues, and interacting with the gardening clubs at the Home of FDR National Historic Site and the Vanderbilt Museum’s Beatrix Farrand Garden where he served as a volunteer as recently as the morning he died.  He also volunteered over many years at a local food pantry and a soup kitchen in Poughkeepsie.  

Tom was a great fan of the FDR High School sports teams and a great fan of the Marist College basketball teams, both female and male, as well.  No doubt attendance at those games brought back memories of the times he would go to St. John’s University basketball games with his father who earned his Doctorate in Education at the institution and stayed the loyal alumnus until the end.

Tom had an astonishing memory for all things, great and small.  He was a real talker when memories took hold, sometimes to the exhaustion of his sibling audience, but we loved him for it as we never ceased to be amazed at the trove of memories he recalled in great detail and at great length.  And his laughter, a mighty Irish laugh he had, which, tragically, we will never hear again.  Rest in Peace, dear brother, Tom.  We will all love and miss you forever.  

Calling hours for Thomas Kelly will be held at the Dapson-Chestney Funeral Home, 51 W. Market St., Rhinebeck, NY on Sunday June 18 from 3PM to 7PM.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Good Shepherd Church, 3 Mulberry St., Rhinebeck. Monday June 19 at 10AM with Fr. Isaacs officiating.

Burial will be held at St. Peter’s Cemetery 171 Salt Point Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY at 11AM on Saturday July 1.

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