Andrew Kelly April 21, 2024

Andrew ‘Andy’ Kelly of Greenwood/Rexville, New York

Andy Kelly (aka “Mr. Kelly”) passed away at his home In Greenwood, NY, in the evening of January 30, 2024.  Mr. Kelly was a beloved, regular, and much-requested substitute teacher at the Whitesville, the Canisteo-Greenwood, and the Jasper-Troupsburg ISDs for over 35 years.  He showed up in his bright gold Ford Ranger, eager to teach, until he was 86 years of age.  Everywhere that Mr. Kelly went around his home in Greenwood, he met someone that he had taught or taught their kids or taught their grandkids.  His stories told in the classrooms were favorites among the many students that had him as a substitute teacher.

Andy and his family moved to Greenwood, NY, over 40 years ago, after he retired from a full 20+ year career with the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Commander.  While in the Navy, he was an officer and naval aviator, serving on aircraft carriers, and as a flight instructor for future naval aviators. He was also a veteran of a foreign war. Once settled in NY, Andy then obtained his master’s degree and certification to teach in the state of NY.   As evidenced from both his long-time careers, Andy’s calling was definitely to teach!

Prior to Navy life, Andy attended North Central College in Naperville, IL, on a full swimming scholarship.  While there, he met his future wife, his swimming team achieved a national championship and was inducted into his college’s Athletic Hall of Fame, and he obtained his bachelor’s degree in business.  Andy’s wife, Sue Kelly, passed away 11+ years ago.  They had been married 54 years then, and Andy’s heart was always with her up to his recent passing.  She was a well-known Registered Nurse in the Greenwood/Hornell/Wellsville/Bath area for nearly 30 years, and she was best known as a daylily gardener with a nationally recognized Daylily Display Garden in Greenwood, NY.

Andy’s life was not always an easy one, but it was a full one.  Andy’s father was a US missionary based abroad so he started life on this earth in another country where freedoms were extremely limited, During World War II, when Andy was just 6 years old, he and his family were detained in a non-Allied concentration camp abroad for nearly 3 years just because they were U.S. citizens.  Once released at the end of the war, he was sent to the U.S. at the age of 9 for his education, only to be left at the train station, abandoned by his father’s family who had originally agreed to care for him.  Taken in by a wonderful foster family, Andy’s life began to flourish.  Two years after his arrival in the U.S. he was joined by his younger sister, Beth, into the same foster family.  Andy never saw his father again after his arrival in the U.S. because his father passed away abroad. However, Andy was reunited, after nearly 35 years of separation, with his mother MuYi, and his younger brother Daniel and wife Flora and their three children when they were allowed to come ‘visit’ the U.S., even though they were U.S. citizens by marriage and/or birthright.

Loving memories of Mr. Kelly/Andy/Dad/Grandpa/Great Grandpa will be carried on by his children: Joe (Kim), Kyle (Dave), Jeff (Nancy), and Natasha (Scott), as well as his 6 grandchildren: Mitchell (Ashley), Meghan (Scott), Kathryn (Manny), Alex (Chelsea), Madalyn, and Ben, and his two great grandsons, Ryder and Rowan, with a third great granddaughter due in July of 2024.  Mr. Kelly’s remaining family-of-origin include his sisters Beth and Carolyn, and his brother’s wife Flora and their extended families.

A Celebration of Life gathering for Mr. Kelly will be announced by the family later this spring. Instead of flowers and plants, donations to the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department, to the Greenwood Reading Center, and/or to Susan’s Cat Sanctuary of the Southern Tier (all in Greenwood, NY) would be welcomed by the family. Cards to the family can be mailed in care of J. Kelly at 196 Wimbledon Rd, Rochester, NY14617.