Larry Earl Kelly

Larry Earl Kelly January 9, 1946-March 19, 2014 Larry Earl Kelly of Waco passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 19, with his family at his bedside. A Memorial Service for friends and family will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 22, at First United Methodist Church of Waco with Rev. Stephen Ramsdell and Rev. Jimmy Dorrell officiating. Visitation will be held 5:00 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 21, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Larry was born at the Banana River Florida Naval Air Station to Arthur Earl and Maggie Frances Brannen Kelly. He spent most of his childhood living at various military bases in the South. He graduated from Westbury High School in Houston, Texas. Larry began his college career at Austin College, but during his freshman year he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, where he would meet his future wife, Suzanne. In June of 1966, he followed his father's footsteps and joined the United States Navy. After training in Pensacola, he was assigned to a base near San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he served as a communications specialist for three and a half years. In March of 1969, he married Suzanne Veiluva, who was finishing graduate school at Baylor University. She joined him in Puerto Rico to finish out his tour. Larry returned to the University of Texas in June of 1970 to complete his degree. He graduated with a B.S. in Political Science cum laude, moved to Waco, and began Baylor Law School in January of 1972. He always credited local attorney Dan Mayfield and Dean Angus McSwain with convincing him to attend Baylor, rather than the University of Texas Law School. In 1974, Larry received his J.D. degree cum laude from Baylor University School of Law and joined the law firm of Pakis, Cherry, Beard and Giotes. For the rest of his life he credited William Pakis as being a great teacher and mentor. While a local attorney, he was a member of the Young Lawyers Association, the McLennan County Bar Association, and served on the boards of Legal Aid and Mission Waco. In 1986, Larry was appointed to the bench as a United States Federal Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Texas. He spent twenty years of his judicial career as Chief Judge for the Western District, holding court in El Paso, Midland, and San Antonio. He maintained a staff and courts in Austin and Waco and was a member of many bar organizations. Larry was appointed by Chief Justice William Rehnquist to serve on the Federal Judicial Center Committee on Bankruptcy Judges Education, 1991-1994. He was the Chairman of the National Council of Bankruptcy Judges Automation Committee/ Web Page from 1995 to 2006. He was credited with establishing their website and bringing technology to the bankruptcy court system and serving on many automation committees. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his service to the NCBJ. In 2008 he was honored with the Judge Larry E. and Suzanne V. Kelly Endowed Baylor Law School Scholarship Fund. After health problems caused him to retire during his second term on the bench, Larry joined the law firm of Beard, Kultgen, Brophy, Bostwick, Dickson and Squires. Since 1984 until the present, he has served as an adjunct professor of law at Baylor Law School, educating future lawyers in the field of bankruptcy law. He truly loved to teach. During his lifetime his favorite pastime was traveling with his family -- especially the numerous Christmas trips to Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Lake Tahoe. He enjoyed fishing trips, dove hunting, snow skiing, lots of golf, his poker group and riding his Honda Goldwing with groups of friends. During his later years he enjoyed spending time with his family, his cats and the deer at the Canyon Oaks Creek House -- hosting lots of family members, friends, and out-of-town visitors. Although he was also a Longhorn, he was an avid fan and season ticket holder for the Lady Bears. A highlight for him was being at the 2005 Championship game in Indianapolis. Most of all, he was a loving husband and father of three wonderful sons. He was thrilled and felt so blessed by the addition of his beautiful daughters-in-law. His greatest joy was being a "Poppy" to his two adored grandchildren, Annalise and Andrew. He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Kelly; and an infant son. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Suzanne Veiluva Kelly; three children, Ryan Kelly and wife, Andi, Kevin Kelly and wife, Jennifer, and Michael Kelly and fiance, Ellen Eoff; two grandchildren, Annalise and Andrew Kelly; his mother, Frances Galbraith and husband, Charles; sister, Norma Franklin; brother, Jim Hillin and wife, Kim; and mother-in-law, Dorothy Veiluva. Survivors also include sisters-in-law, Shelly Brock and Denise Wilkerson and husband, Carl; brother-in-law, Michael Veiluva and wife, Mardi; plus many nieces and nephews. Larry always appreciated his great friends, his law partners and his office staff, the Baylor Law School faculty, and his court and office staffs throughout the years. We are grateful to many doctors, but would especially like to thank Dr. Gary Barbin, neighbor and friend, for his incredibly attentive care to Larry over many years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Larry and Suzanne Kelly Endowed Bankruptcy Law Scholarship at Baylor Law School or to Mission Waco. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook: at www.WHBfamily.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey