Gene Kelley

Gene “Geno” R. Kelley - loving husband, father, and grandfather, and avid hot rod and NASCAR enthusiast passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 27, 2022, at the age of 69.  Although he was small in stature, his fiery attitude and extreme stubbornness were larger than life.  He always had your back and he loved greatly.  He made sure he ended every phone conversation with a love you as we all need to hear it and we never know when it’s the last that time we get to say it.

Gene broke his back for General Electric for over 30 years and retired from the company.  He worked hard so his kids would never have to get their hands dirty, and he was successful in that goal.  In his spare time, Gene was always tinkering with his latest hot rod and restoring them back to their glory days.  There wasn’t much Gene couldn’t fix.  He loved his family, and he loved his rod runs.  If you stopped by to check his car out, you had an instant buddy and were possibly handed a Sterling beer.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Mert B. Medley Kelley and Norbourne H. Kelley; his siblings, Robert Kelley (Linda) and Vicky Doyle (Kenneth).

Gene is survived by his wife of 50 years, Deborah; his daughter, Michelle Staley, (Rob); his son, Michael Kelley (Sara); his four grandchildren, Medley, Jasper, Grayson, and Addison; his brother, Tony Kelley (Gayle); along with a host of brothers and sisters-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and all his hot rod buddies.

You may make donations in Gene's name to either the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.

Please join us in celebrating Gene’s life at 11AM on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at Louisville Memorial Gardens Funeral Homes East, 11601 Ballardsville Road, with Pastor Josh Greene officiating.  Entombment will immediately follow. Friends may call on the family from 3PM until 7PM Tuesday at the funeral home.

To help the family give Gene a proper sendoff, please drive your hot rod to the services so Gene can be surrounded by what he loved the most, hot rods and his family.