Peter L. Kelley

Peter L. Kelley, 84, of Westborough, MA, passed away on Friday, January 12, 2018 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital of complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Pete was one of five children born to the late Peter and Georgina (Pratt) Kelley. He lived in Newton, MA, until he joined the Army to serve in Korea. He married Shirley (Yurick) Kelley and raised six wonderful children. Pete worked full-time to support his family while going to school at night to earn certifications in electronics so that he could be part of the growth of technology in Massachusetts. He worked in sales, applications engineering, product management, and marketing for companies like Memory Technology, Honeywell/Computer Control Division, and Codex/Motorola.

After a long career in technology, Pete became a licensed carpenter and turned a lifelong skill into a successful business. He crafted exquisite custom furniture—and miniature logging trucks and full-scale rocking horses for his grandchildren. He traveled all over the U.S. and Canada fly-fishing with the same group of friends. He loved metal detecting, even though he never found a single Spanish doubloon. He believed in quiet good deeds, showing up in winter storms to help shovel a neighbor’s driveway or pump out a flooded basement. He was interested in military history, fascinated by inventions in all fields, loved Big Band music, and was an avid reader. But nothing gave him more satisfaction than the health and happiness of his children and grandchildren. When Parkinson’s made it difficult for him to move, he could still beat everyone in the family at poker.

He was the beloved husband of Judith Kelley for 27 years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his six children, Thomas Kelley of Marlborough, Paula Hurlbut and her husband, Craig, of Hopkinton, Kathleen Venuto and her husband, John, of Hopkinton, Barbara Sharon and her husband, Paul, of Grafton, Alison Lemmler and her husband, Steve, of Medway, and Roberta Kierce and her husband, Paul, of Cohasset; two sisters, Martha Wilkie of Florida and Eleanor Shroff of North Carolina, and 14 grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Robert and Edward Kelley. Pete and Judith have been residents of Westborough since 2011. They also lived in Hopkinton, MA, and Framingham, MA, for many years.

Services and interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.