Henry Leroy Kelly

baby sitting in small chair holding a doll. — **Henry Kelly circa 1912**

Photo of young woma in a turn of the century dress holding a baby while sitting on a smiling crescent moon with stars in the background. The woman is smiling at the camera. — **Infant Henry Kelly in 1911 with his maternal aunt Luella Sansom who was 15 years old at the time.**

March 31,2025 would have been Henry Kelly’s 114th birthday. Henry is my husband’s paternal grandfather. He was born and died in Keokuk Iowa. He was the firstborn of Freeman Leroy “Lee” Kelly and Phoebe “Katie” Sansom Kelly’s seven children. Lee also was born and died in Keokuk where he worked in manufacturing plants from at least the age of 19, including the cereal manufacturer General Mills.

The photo below is a colorized copy of a photo from 1916 that shows Henry standing in the center with his maternal grandpa William Sansom’s hands on his shoulders, flanked by his great grandmothers Elizabeth (Hubbard) Rose – the mother of Ellen (Rose) Sansom and Emma (Frantz) Sansom – the mother of William Sansom.

Colorized photo from 1916 of a large family. two elderly women seated with children standing around them, adults standing behind them, two holding babies. — William and Ellen Sansom, their daughters and their families as well as both of their elderly mothers. Circa 1916. On the far left is Lee and Katie Kelly, Henry Kelly standing in the center with William’s hand on his shoulder.

The 1920 census shows Lee and Katie, 8 year old Henry and his 3 brothers living with Katie’s parents William and Ellen Sansom. Lee is the only one listed as employed, working as an inspector in a manufacturing plant.

Henry attended Keokuk High School where he was in the National Athletic Scholarship Society of Secondary Schools which “honors students who earn a letter in a major sport and kept their grades above average for 3 consecutive semesters and exemplify the highest type of citizenship and sportmanship.” He was also in the band playing horns.

protrait of a young white man with brown hair slicked back wearing a suit and tie — Henry Kelly senior yearbook photo from 1929 Keokuk High School

A dozen young men sitting on concrete steps in front of a school dressed in trousers and dress shirts and tied and letterman sweaters. — National Athletic Scholarship Society of Secondary Schools members at Keokuk High, Henry top left

high school band from the 1920s, young men holding brass musical instruments — 1929 Henry Kelly on horns

In 1930 19 year old Henry was living at home with parents and siblings working as a driver for a bakery in Keokuk. Five years later he married Alberta Gertrude Chrisman. In 1937 Alberta delivered a girl, Janet, and then in 1939 a boy, William. In the ’40s Henry worked as parts manager in Keokuk and starting in 1952 he worked for Union Electric, retiring in 1975. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and was a Scout Master for Boy Scouts Troop 55, all in Keokuk, Iowa.

colorized family portrait. 4 adult males standing, 2 women, one younger the other older, one older male and one young man sitting. The women are in formal dress, the men in suits. All are looking at the camera but not smiling. Names are written in script next to each person. — Freeman, Henry, Lloyd, Warren standing, Audrey, Katie, Lee and Charles Kelly seated. Circa 1940

Family standing in a home, looking at the camera but not smiling 4 middle aged men, and an elderly couple — Lee and Katie and 4 of their boys in 1959

an elderly white couple in formal dress in front of a candelabra — Henry and Alberta at the wedding of Bill and Judy Kelly in 1964.

Grandparents sitting on a couch with three young boys in matching outfits on their laps — Alberta and Henry Kelly with grandchildren Joe, Chris and Dave Kelly circa 1972

Henry died on 12 July 1991 in his hometown at 80 years old. He is buried in the Kahoka, Missouri cemetery.

gravestone with the name Kelly inscribed on it, flowers on the ground in front of it — Grave marker in Kahoka Cemetery

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