NEWTON — Paul F. Kelly, 86, died June 15 at his Newton residence. He was born Nov. 13, 1924, in Akron, Ohio, to Lawrence and Odilia (Seegmueller) Kelly. On Dec. 23, 1989, he married Theresa Gerritzen in St. Petersburg, Fla.

He served his country in the Army Air Corps as a sergeant during World War II stationed in Guam and in Great Bend.

He was the former owner/operator of KHOK radio station in Hoisington. He sold the station in 1986. He helped build three radio stations in Hays and in Florida. He also was a salesman for the Arbitron Company.

Mr. Kelly was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newton.

Survivors include his wife, of the home; sons Patrick Kelly of Ft. Collins, Colo., Michael Kelly of Raton, N.M., and Thomas Kelly of Carrollton, Texas; daughters Margaret Blount of Moorehead City, N.C.; and Mary Jafari of Frisco, Texas; sister Ruth Varn of St. Petersburg, Fla.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by sisters Margaret Kelly and Lorraine Lacher.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church in Newton, with the Rev. Jim Mainzer and the Rev. Mike Scully celebrants. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends from 7:30-8:30 p.m. following the rosary. Graveside committal service with military honors will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Hoisington. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left with St. Mary’s Catholic School in care of the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Petersen Funeral Home

215 N. Main

Newton, KS 67114

(316) 283-2525

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 17, 2011