Robert "Bob" Lee Kelly's Obituary
The Kelly-Bennett family announces the passing of their father, Robert “Bob” Lee Kelly, who died peacefully on June 27, 2019 at the Crossings at Hancock Creek. He was born July 24, 1934 in Middletown, Ohio to Myrtle and Russell Kelly and was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. At one year, he was adopted by his Aunt Helen and Uncle John but stayed close to all his siblings. He is survived by his daughter, Sabrina Bennett and son-in law Jim, as well as his sister, Jeannette Garcia of Bishopville, SC, and pre-deceased by wife Charlotte Povia, whom he married in 1967. Prior to graduating high school, he joined the Navy to fight in the Korean War. He served on the USS Oriskany, which was later laid to rest in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef in 2006. He saluted her with a tear when she was sunk off Pensacola, FL. After being honorably discharged in 1954, he attended and graduated from the University of Cincinnati, Conservatory of Music. He then moved to New York City where he started honing his singing repertoire. Bob was invited to audition for tenor at the New York City Opera chorus. He won the audition and thus began his 35-year career ending at the great Metropolitan Opera House where he retired in 1996. Bob’s family and friends will miss his unique sense of humor; especially his stories of which you could be sure 50% were true… The master storyteller until the end with an imagination most adults grow out of. Cheers to a life well lived! You will be missed dearly. A memorial service and interment will be held on July 20, 2019 at 11:30 am at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens, 1589 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name, locally to Hope Hospice, https://www.hopehospice.org/donate/ or SAG-AFTRA Foundation, https://members.sagfoundation.org/donate.
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