Harold Kelly

BASSETT — Harold L. Kelly, 87, of Bassett, passed away Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, just three days after his 87th birthday. Harold passed away peacefully at Rock County Hospital Long Term Care in Bassett. On Thursday evening, his wife and close family members were with him or had talked to him via facetime on the phone. 

Services will be held in June 2022. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Biglin's Mortuary of O'Neill, NE.

Harold Leslie Kelly was born near Crawford on Jan. 25, 1935 to Albert and Ethel (Rimmers) Kelly.  He was the fifth of ten children growing up in the Chadron-Crawford area.

Harold was a member of the National Guard during the Korean Conflict in 1952 and continued to serve in the Guards within the Chadron area for 10 years. He was a member of the American Legion for 41 years. 

On January 8, 1954 he married Rosalie Booth from Gordon. The couple had six children: Alan “Mike”, Rodney, Curtis, Crystal, Cynthia, and Tracy. The Kelly family lived in the Scottsbluff area, around Gordon, O'Neill, Spencer, and Page and Cutbank, MT. Many stories have been told about their experiences in the different places they lived. The couple met many people over the years with many becoming good friends.

Harold was a man of many talents.  He worked as a Diesel Mechanic and an Airplane Mechanic, eventually getting his pilot's license. He drove semi for many years hauling crude oil, cattle, oversized loads, grains, watermelons, onions and other produce across the country. 

In 1983, Harold retired from trucking and moved to Colorado where he worked with his brother, Bernard, for a couple years. He later worked on an Arabian Horse ranch and Paul Weaver Farms until Harold and Rosalie decided to move back to Nebraska in the early 90's. Harold went to work on the Huffman-Carver Ranch near Hyannis in the sandhills. 

The couple eventually put down their final roots in Kilgore where Harold worked as a fabricator and machinist for Welker Welding until his retirement. You can still see some of the things he built being used today. But Harold never really retired completely as he was always available to help someone out on their farm or home, or you would find him doing something in his own shop or yard. 

He really enjoyed teasing people, especially the girls. You had to look out if he got a dish towel in his hands. He was always ready to share his skills and knowledge with anyone who wanted to learn.   

Kilgore became the place they finally were able to call home and were blessed with the addition of the Lambs as part of their family and gaining many new close friends from the area.

In 2020, Harold and Rosalie moved to Cherry Hills Assisted Living in Valentine. Harold resided there until his move to the nursing home in Bassett the last few months of his life. Rosalie still resides at Cherry Hills.

Harold is survived by his wife Rosalie of Valentine; son Curtis (Susan) Kelly of Broadwater; daughters Crystal (John) Geiman of Rapid City, SD, Tracy (Duane) Lamb of Valentine; grandchildren, Carrie (Brandon) Tritsch, Tina (Travis) Sparks, Sean (Jazmin) Kelly, Joshua (Tonya) Kelly, Jessica Mutschelknaus, Julie Geiman, Brandon (Amy) Tschantre, Amanda (Jordan) Fischer, Cody (Katie) Tschantre,  and Colten, Colby, Chelsie and Cayden Lamb; 10 great grandchildren, with one in the oven; 1 great-great grandchild, with another one in the oven and many nieces, nephews and close friends. 

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, children Alan Kelly, Rodney Kelly and Cindy Kelly; siblings Evelyn Wright, Earl Kelly, Dale Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Fred Kelly, Bernard Kelly, Darlene Kelly, Rosella Kelly, and Donie Kelly; nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and close friends.                           

Harold will be greatly missed but never forgotten. We will think of him often, especially when we see purple cows, spittoons, western shirts, biscuits and gravy, whiskey and coke, the smell of Old Spice and long gray beards.