Obituary of George F. Kelly Sr.
George Francis Kelly, Sr., age 92, of Easton, beloved husband of the late Louise (Sherwood) Kelly and son of the late Thomas and Adeline (Peso) Kelly, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 24, 2025, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, CT, surrounded by his loving family.
George was born on February 21, 1933. He fondly remembered his childhood growing up in Naugatuck, CT. From an early age, George enjoyed spending time outdoors, riding his horse, and exploring the expansive farmland in the area. He attended St. Francis School where, in third grade, after he was caught etching his name into his desk, he was required to fill and refinish the wooden surface. Little did his teacher know this would be the first of countless carpentry projects he would complete in his long life. During his teenage years, he worked as a farmhand to help support his family; although the labor was hard, he relished being outside and caring for animals.
As young adults, George and his friends would reward themselves for their weekly efforts by attending local square dances on Friday and Saturday evenings. It was at one of those dances in 1953 that George met Louise - the love of his life and wife of sixty-four years. “I was going to ask the girl at the table with her to dance, but some fella beat me to it. I was already halfway over to them, so I figured, ‘might as well ask the other girl!’” he would recall with a smirk. “We fell for each other the day we met.” On October 23, 1954, George and Louise were married at St. Michael’s Church in Beacon Falls.
In the mid-1950s, he joined the United States Army and served at Fort McClellan, Alabama, as a mail clerk. After George was honorably discharged from service, he and Louise returned to Connecticut where they would raise their growing family. Living next to a farm in Monroe, George and Louise shared their mutual appreciation for the outdoors with their four children. Their house was also home to many pets including dogs, cats, and a rabbit, Snowy. George worked diligently for many years as a machinist at Avco Industries while Louise balanced being a seamstress and homemaker, preparing a variety of delicious meals, breads, and cakes for her family each week. They instilled in their children an unmatched work ethic. As their sons and daughters reached adulthood, George and Louise moved to Easton. In retirement, they remained active by taking three-mile walks daily, perusing tag sales on weekends, and enjoying trips to the Big E and Ireland alike. They were inseparable; while Louise tended to her extensive garden, crocheted, and cooked, George chopped wood, zipped along on his riding lawnmower, and spent hours tinkering in his workshop, supervised by a succession of beloved black labradors - T.J., K.C., Molly, and Millie - over the years.
George delighted in spending time with his family, and happily attended his grandchildren’s dance and music recitals, soccer games, academic award ceremonies, graduations, and religious occasions. Christmas was particularly special to George, as he not only looked forward to celebrating with his extended family over a buffet of scrumptious food but also excitedly set up “the village” in his home’s large bay window. With mugs of hot cocoa in hand, his family would admire the sprawl of ceramic houses, twinkling tree lights, and figures skating across a mirror “pond,” all encircled by a rumbling model train.
We the family of Shawn Kelly would like to thank the staff of the ICU, in particular physician Alexander Fleming-Nouri, M.D., and nurses Derek, Katie, and Sam for the care, compassion, and respect with which they treated George and our family during his final hours. Dr. Fleming-Nouri is extraordinary – a clinician and leader with uncommon talent and insight, and a true healer whose attention to the needs of patients and their loved ones is unparalleled. We also want to express our gratitude to Fr. Edmund McCullough, O.P., for his consistent willingness to provide spiritual guidance in end-of-life matters.
George will be dearly missed. He is survived by three loving children, Patricia Kelly-Flis and her husband, Dennis, of Smithfield, Rhode Island, Coreen Cardamone and her husband, Jerry, of Norwalk, Connecticut, and Shawn Kelly and his wife, Tina, of Shelton, Connecticut; by his five beloved grandchildren, Michael Flis and his wife, Alexi, Amanda (Kelly) Maynard and her husband, Thomas, Steven Flis, Olivia Kelly, and Abigail Kelly; and by two cherished great-granddaughters, Cecilia Rose Maynard and Lillian Diana Flis. He is also survived by sister-in-law Colleen Kelly, especially-close nieces Lauren Kelly, Erin (Kelly) Guarino, and Kathleen Kelly who visited him often, and many other nieces and nephews. Additionally, he will be fondly remembered by Shawn’s sister-in-law Lucinda Ames, niece Jenny Ames, and nephew Michael Ames who graciously hosted him at many holiday and family celebrations. He was predeceased by his son, George Kelly, Jr., his brother, Thomas Kelly and his wife Elsie, his twin brother James Kelly, sister Adeline Marino and her husband, Frank, brother-in-law Walter Sherwood and his wife Franny, brother-in-law Arthur Sherwood, sister-in-law Barbara (Sherwood) Laufer and her husband, Frank, and nephew Kevin Kelly.
All funeral services will be private; arrangements have been entrusted to the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, CT, 06611. A Roman Catholic Memorial Mass will be held for George and Louise at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Trumbull, at a date and time to be announced.
To leave an online condolence, visit us at www.abriola.com.