Robert C. Kelly
Robert (Bob) Collamer Kelly
He graduated from Woodstock High School in 1948, Kimball Union Academy in 1949, Middlebury College in 1953, and received his master's degree from the University of Vermont in 1962.
In 1954, Bob received his commission in the U.S. Navy upon graduating from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. He served on active duty in the Navy from 1953 to 1957 and in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1962. While on active duty, he was a deep-sea diver in the Submarine Force stationed in New London, CT. Bob was assigned to the USS Tringa, and later to the staff of the Commander of the U.S. Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet. He retired as a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.
Bob then worked for A.N. Deringer, Inc. in St. Albans, VT as a customhouse broker until attending graduate school at the University of Vermont. In 1961, he earned his Certified Public Accountant's certificate. In 1962, he co-founded the CPA firm of Thompson & Kelly which later became Thompson, Kelly, Jacobs & Gallagher, and later Gallagher, Flynn & Co. He also co-founded the CPA firm of Kelly, Jacobs & Assoc., now JMM & Associates.
Bob was very active in the community throughout his life. He was a former President of the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy, as well as a former member of the Vermont Society of CPAs and of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT, and a former member of the Board of Directors of King Street Center of Burlington, VT. He was a member of the College Street Congregational Church.
In 1987, Bob retired from public accounting and purchased Bridge Building Images, Inc., a mail order company in Burlington, VT. He subsequently sold the business to his son, Andrew, and Bill Flynn. Both Bob and Diana continued actively with the company for some time thereafter.
Bob was always extremely active in athletics, both participating himself and also coaching and playing with his kids. He was a long-time member of both Burlington Country Club and Twin Oaks. He was a regular squash and tennis player at Twin Oaks, and a Mad River skier since 1960 when he began a thirty-year stint as auditor of the Mad River financial records.
His beloved wife Diana; his sons Bruce, Andrew, and Scott; his granddaughter Arianna; and his brother Bill survive him. He is predeceased by his sister Margaret, his brother Byron, and his son Robert.
A memorial service for Bob will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the College Street Congregational Church in Burlington, VT. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the King Street Center of Burlington.
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Charleston, SC - Robert (Bob) Collamer Kelly, 89, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 24th at Wellmore of Daniel Island in Charleston, SC. Born on August 8, 1930 in Worcester, MA, he was the son of Byron F. and Louise (Kittredge) Kelly. Bob married the former Diana Peck of Burlington, VT and East Islip, NY on December 12, 1970.
He graduated from Woodstock High School in 1948, Kimball Union Academy in 1949, Middlebury College in 1953, and received his master's degree from the University of Vermont in 1962.
In 1954, Bob received his commission in the U.S. Navy upon graduating from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. He served on active duty in the Navy from 1953 to 1957 and in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1962. While on active duty, he was a deep-sea diver in the Submarine Force stationed in New London, CT. Bob was assigned to the USS Tringa, and later to the staff of the Commander of the U.S. Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet. He retired as a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.
Bob then worked for A.N. Deringer, Inc. in St. Albans, VT as a customhouse broker until attending graduate school at the University of Vermont. In 1961, he earned his Certified Public Accountant's certificate. In 1962, he co-founded the CPA firm of Thompson & Kelly which later became Thompson, Kelly, Jacobs & Gallagher, and later Gallagher, Flynn & Co. He also co-founded the CPA firm of Kelly, Jacobs & Assoc., now JMM & Associates.
Bob was very active in the community throughout his life. He was a former President of the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy, as well as a former member of the Vermont Society of CPAs and of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT, and a former member of the Board of Directors of King Street Center of Burlington, VT. He was a member of the College Street Congregational Church.
In 1987, Bob retired from public accounting and purchased Bridge Building Images, Inc., a mail order company in Burlington, VT. He subsequently sold the business to his son, Andrew, and Bill Flynn. Both Bob and Diana continued actively with the company for some time thereafter.
Bob was always extremely active in athletics, both participating himself and also coaching and playing with his kids. He was a long-time member of both Burlington Country Club and Twin Oaks. He was a regular squash and tennis player at Twin Oaks, and a Mad River skier since 1960 when he began a thirty-year stint as auditor of the Mad River financial records.
His beloved wife Diana; his sons Bruce, Andrew, and Scott; his granddaughter Arianna; and his brother Bill survive him. He is predeceased by his sister Margaret, his brother Byron, and his son Robert.
A memorial service for Bob will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the College Street Congregational Church in Burlington, VT. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the King Street Center of Burlington.
