SARATOGA SPRINGS — William Thomas Kelley, Jr., 75, died Thursday, October 17, after a battle with Wegener’s Granulomatosis.
He was the son of W.T. Kelley, Sr. and Annie Rae Kindley Kelley and born on February 28, 1938 at the home place at Stony Point, Greenwood County, South Carolina.
He was in the U.S. Navy nuclear powered submarine program 1959-1963 and was in the commissioning crew of the USS Barb SSN 596, which was commissioned July 24, 1963. He was Electricians Mate 2nd Class. USS Barb was a sister boat to the USS Thresher, which was the first nuclear powered sub to sink. Barb was scheduled for initial sea trial when Thresher sank in the North Atlantic.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two sisters, Mary Elizabeth Kelley of Greenwood, South Carolina, and Evelyn Anne Kelley Ballenger of Pinebluff North Carolina.
He and Rose Marie Duell were married on October 8, 1961 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs.
They have three children, Kimberly Marie Kelley (Jim Sumner), Orlando Florida, W. Thomas Kelley III, Richmond, Virginia and Anita Lynn Kelley of Albany.
Other survivors include brothers-in-law, Rev. Donald Ballenger of Pinebluff, North Carolina, Earl Duell (Shirley) of Saratoga Springs, George Duell, Sr., (deceased) (Dorothy), sisters-in law Betty Pisano, Fort Edward, Edie Fitzgerald (Greg) of Wilton, many nieces and nephews, and good friend John Peck.
