Thomas G. Kelley

Thomas Gould Kelley, 88, passed away after a brief illness on Friday, April 3, 2020. He was born June 22, 1931, the son of the late Thomas F. and Barbara G. (Gould) Kelley. Thomas was a lifelong resident of Manchester. He led the Manchester High golf team to 2 state victories in 1948 and 1949 and was the individual champion in 1948. He attended Springfield College then served 2 years in the Navy as the Assistant Athletic Director at Anacostia Air Base. He went back to school for his bachelors degree and his commencement speaker at graduation was John F. Kennedy. He married his high school sweetheart Marcia Jane Beach on April 2, 1955 and enjoyed 33 years of marriage. He worked as a Physical Education teacher at Illing Junior High School and was the Department Chair from 1960-1990. He was a winning coach of the boys soccer and golf teams and was the Connecticut golf Coach of the year in 1979. His summers were spent as the supervisor for the towns summer aquatics program for over 30 years. Thomas was a basketball official for the IAABO and CBOA for over 30 years and the first to work both a boys and girls state final championship game in one year. He was president for a year and lifetime member of his IAABO board as well as a lifetime member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The boys gymnasium at Illing was named in his honor upon his retirement in 1990 and he became a member in the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame the same year. He served as president of the hall of fame from 1990-2000. Together with his father they taught for over 81 years. Both were athletic directors at their schools, were named "Coach of the year", were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame and had school facilities named after them. He assisted in coaching the MHS girls soccer and basketball teams during retirement as well. He was very proud of his family and their many accomplishments and will be greatly missed by so many. He is predeceased by his wife and his two brothers Bill and Dave and their wives Judy and Jean. He is survived by his three children, Mike and his wife Amanda, Kathy and her husband Steve and Tim and his wife Robin; three grandchildren Justin, Pat and Melissa and three great grandchildren Carolina, Madelyn and Andrew, and many friends and former students that he kept close ties with. Per his request, there will be no calling hours and the burial service will be private and at the convenience of the family.







Services

Private Committal