Henry William Kelly passed away on May 23, 2024, at the age of 97.
Henry Kelly, 97, passed away on May 26.
Born and raised in the heartland of North Dakota, Henry was a distinguished newspaperman and former publisher of the Walsh County Press. Nearly two decades ago, Henry found a lasting life partner in Donna Kelly. Together, they embarked on a journey that spanned the landscapes of North Dakota, Florida, and North Carolina, before landing in Darien in 2014.
In Darien, Henry quickly found his home at Starbucks, where he spent nearly every day sipping coffee, making friends and writing letters. His handwritten letters, often penned on Starbucks napkins, each one filled with heartfelt compliments and thought-provoking reflections.
Henry was a U.S. Navy World War II veteran aboard the USS Florence Nightingale, and by sheer coincidence he spent several months in Darien in 1945, living in the Naval barracks in Noroton Heights and training in the Long Island Sound. In recent years, he claimed to be stationed at the USS Starbucks on Post Road.
In his final months, Henry found solace in his beloved North Dakota, surrounded by the camaraderie of fellow veterans.
Though he may have bid farewell to this world, Henry’s spirit lives on in the hearts of his devoted wife, Donna, his loving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and all those who were touched by his kindness, wisdom, and unwavering love.
Rest in peace, dear Henry.
— This obituary, where online condolences may be left, was published on Legacy.com by the Darien Times.
His Obituary From the Tollefson Funeral Home:
Editor’s note: Some readers might be interested in this longer obituary:
Henry Kelly’s funeral will be on Thursday, May 30, in North Dakota.
Henry W. Kelly, who ran the weekly newspaper in Park River, North Dakota for nearly half a century, died May 23, 2024 at the age of 97. He was a resident of the North Dakota Veterans Home in Lisbon at the time of his death.
Readers of The Walsh County Press in Park River knew that Henry was a self-described hayseed born on a farm in Cato Township during the Great Depression. Along with his parents, Henry E. and Ann (O’Brien) Kelly and brothers Tom and Pat, he worked on their Ramsey County farm until economic conditions nudged them to leave the farm in 1942 and resettle in Minneapolis where he graduated from South High in 1944.
That summer Henry signed up for the U.S. Navy — shipping out in July 1945 to Yokosuka, Japan where he served as a signalman, directing World War II occupation vessels sailing into Tokyo Bay.
After the war, he returned to Minneapolis where in 1949 he married Georgette Assad and also graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Henry, Georgette and their son Sean moved to Park River in 1953 where he worked at the Walsh County Press for his uncle and aunt, Harry and Rosamond O’Brien.
The untimely death of his uncle just six months later put him on the path to become publisher of The Press. Community journalism was his passion, and the whole family worked in the back shop as printer’s devils. The newspaper provided him with a platform to promote his community, and he worked tirelessly on various economic development projects.
He was a partner in DAK Publishing and later Kelly Publishing, which owned chains of weekly newspapers. Other business interests included SKM Cable TV and the Alexander House.
The North Dakota Newspaper Association twice gave Henry the Best Columnist Award for weekly newspapers. He also took much pride in being a lifetime member of the American Legion.
He married Donna Percarpio in 2000 in Park River.
In retirement when he wrote letters to his great-grandchildren, he set a few ground rules: write in longhand and come up with at least one solid question that required a thoughtful response. This resulted in lively correspondence, especially during the time of Covid.
To the end, HWK retained his optimism for life and his passion for making new friends — always imparting nuggets of advice about how to live a good life.
Survivors include his wife Donna Kelly; children Sean (Cheryl Baumann), Greg, Colleen (Mark Kansteiner) and Dennis (Missy Vetter) Kelly; grandchildren Gannon (Mary), Fallon (Beth), Brendan (Maggie), Alyssa, Brett (Ann) and Brad Kelly, Christina (Tyler) Pesta, and Zane, Jacob, Evan and David Markel; and great-grandchildren Laura, Cate, Caemon, Avalon, Seamus, Elin, David, Addison, Holden, Noel and Lila.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Georgette and his brothers Tom and Pat.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 30, 2024, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Park River, North Dakota. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Military rites will be provided by the Park River American Legion Post #147 and the US Naval Honor Guard. Memorials may be sent to the North Dakota Veterans Home, 1600 Veterans Dr., Lisbon, ND 58054. Interment will be at the Calvary Cemetery of Park River, North Dakota.
— an obituary from the Tollefson Funeral Home, where online condolences may be left