Final Salute

Keith E. Kelly, 74, of Dubuque, passed away Monday, May 31, 2021, at UnityPoint, Finley Hospital.

Funeral services will be at 7 p.m. today at the Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, with Rhonda Pope officiating. Military Honors will follow the service by the Dubuque Marine Corps League and the Tri-State Vietnam Veterans Association. The family will greet family and friends from 3 p.m. until the time of services.

Keith was born on February 15, 1947, the son of Leo and Violet (Freyermuth) Kelly.

He graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1965. After high school, he began working at Flexsteel Industries, and on November 16, 1968, he married his high school sweetheart, Judy Reuter, and together they shared almost 53 years.

He enlisted in the United States Navy and was stationed at Port Hueneme, CA, and Kodiak Alaska, along with serving two tours in Vietnam. While serving in Alaska, he joined the Navy Seabee’s and worked with heavy equipment and fuel tanker trucks. In Vietnam, he also worked on bridge construction and was fortunate to survive a land mine explosion while driving a fuel tanker truck.

After his service to our country, he returned to Dubuque and to a new daughter. He returned to Flexsteel and worked until his retirement, after 46 1/2 years. He was a member of the Upholsterers Union Local #1861. He made and kept many friends as a result of his career at Flexsteel, and he and his many friends enjoyed getting together to “have a few” each week.

In his early years, he enjoyed stock car racing at Dubuque County Fairgrounds, and boating, which became a family recreation with many weekends spent on the river and docked at Massey, teaching many youngsters how to waterski. His love for the river has transcended generation’s of Massey brats, and his son and daughter in-law proudly operate Massey Marina. He will be dearly missed by the countless friends he made along the way that became more like family.

He is survived by his wife, Judy; two children, Jennifer (Brian) Simon and Shawn (Jody Lovett) Kelly; a granddaughter, Calsey Bradley; two great-grandchildren, Julia and Rhett Bradley; brothers, Dan (Kathy) Kelly, Mike (Carol Easler) Kelly, Pat (Linda) Kelly; and sisters, Kathy Kelly, Deanna “Dede” (Joe) Breson and Shelly (Brian) Podolsky; sister-in-law, Sherry Newuohner; and step-grandchildren, Brandi, Corey and Jenna Collins and Cole Rettenmeier.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Vi Kelly; grandparents, JB and Callista Kelly, Albert and Margaret Freyermuth; a sister-in-law, Donna Cooksley; and in-laws Melvin and Darlene Reuter.