Carl Kelly

Carl Kelly passed away on July 23, 2018 at St. David's Hospital after a lengthy battle with kidney disease. He was born on December 13, 1932 to William Murphy Kelly and Julia Mae Rathman Kelly in Bastrop Co., Texas.

His line of Kelly's descended from that of Ed Kelly who came to Bastrop after the Civil War. Prior to that the Kelly family traced their lineage back to the Shenandoah Valley, in Virginia and originally to Ireland. He was also a direct descendant of George Soules who came over on the Mayflower in 1620.

Carl attended High Grove school and graduated from Bastrop High where he was a star athlete excelling in football, basketball and track. When he was 13 years old, he had a paper route in downtown Bastrop from which he delivered newspapers on horseback. He always went to Lock Drug for ice cream after throwing the papers. If he stayed too
long in the drug store, his horse would come up on the sidewalk and look in the window. She was eagerly waiting for her ice cream cone. During those days Carl also tended to the popcorn machine at the movie theater; he later worked at Bastrop State Park. He retired from National Linen Service after 36 years of service. While at National Linen he was route sales supervisor where he ran routes in the Texas hill country and as far away as College Station. He spent many nights staying at the Sands Motel in College Station and became close friends with the owners Ed and Allie Garner and their children Danny
and Candy. At that point in time he had two loving families. On the weekends he returned to Bastrop to be with his Mom and sisters and nieces and nephews and his friends Morris Callahan and Noah Dyal.

Carl escaped matrimony until 1982 when he married Nancy Nixon, a Bartlett native whom he had met through their mutual friend Pam Clampit. One child was born to this union: Clayton Morris Kelly.

Carl never drank or smoked; for a while he was enthralled with Las Vegas and its bright lights but decided to settle down to a calm life. He was proud of the fact that he lived within his means. He loved horses and dogs, of which he had many. Carl knew a lot of real cowboys; he himself was a cowboy having been drug by his mare in his younger days. Fortunately, she stopped before she hit the cactus patch. He especially enjoyed working cows with his brothers-in-law Tom Townsend and Emmet Alexander.

In his later years, he enjoyed watching sports, old movies, cowboy movies, visiting with his friends and playing dominoes. He enjoyed the call of the bob white quail, the quietness of the evening and gazing upon God's sunsets.

Mr. Kelly was predeceased by his parents, his sisters, Laverne Townsend, Eva Meehan, Glyn Rose Alexander and nephews Jimmy Taylor and Tommy Townsend. He leaves behind to mourn his passing his wife Nancy Nixon Kelly, his son Clayton, daughter-in law Kimberly and a grandson Liam Wesley Kelly; a sister Jewel Bennight and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.com).

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