Donald Kelly

To view the funeral service for Donald, please click on the Tribute Wall tab immediately above. Proceed to click on the video icon to start the service. The live stream will start at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 20, 2020. Donald J. Kelly, 93 passed away on April 16, 2020 in West Des Moines, Iowa. Born to Joe and Christina Kelly on the family farm in Kinross, Iowa, Don was the youngest of three siblings. He attended a one room schoolhouse and graduated from Kinross High School in a class of 8 students. After high school he moved to Cedar Rapids where he worked for the Colonial Bakery. He was drafted into the Army and served in Japan and Korea during the Korean War. After returning from Korea, Don graduated from St. Ambrose College, where he met and married the love of his life, Mary Ann in 1956. Don and Mary moved to Cedar Rapids where he worked in public accounting for McGladrey and for a time as a sole proprietor. He and Mary moved their growing family to Des Moines in 1965 where he took a job in the State Auditor's Office and later the Iowa Insurance Department. Testing his political skills, Don ran in 1968 as the first CPA to seek the office of State Auditor. He may not have won that election, but he prided himself in that fact that professional expertise became an expectation of those who would subsequently hold that office. Don then left state government and took the job of Director of Internal Audit for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. He worked at "the Bank" for the next 20 years, retiring as a Vice President in 1990. Don and Mary were active members of Holy Trinity Parish for more than 50 years. Don was heavily involved in the Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the church finance committee. With six kids he was busy coaching little league, taking his kids hunting, fishing, skiing, golfing, or bowling. He also happily loaded the kids into the car for epic family road trips that crisscrossed the country. Not wanting his kids to stray too far from his farming roots, Don tended a massive garden, planted a small fruit orchard and also made sure that his kids grew up with horses to ride and even a buckboard wagon. While he didn't shy away from a nap, especially after he retired and Mary was still working, he also felt like you should work hard enough to deserve one. Thus, in retirement he remained very active through volunteering at Living History Farms, the Senior Corps of Retired Executives, the Master Gardeners and serving on the Polk County Agricultural Extension Council. Once Mary joined him in retirement they were able to travel extensively, completing their goal of visiting all 50 states, as well as traveling to Australia, the South Pacific, and exploring Europe several times. Don was fiercely loyal and incredibly kind, but you always had to be on your toes because he was ready with a wry quip whatever the situation. While he may have taken great joy in teasing those he loved, his humor was just as likely to be self-deprecating because despite his success and accomplishments, he never took himself too seriously. Don is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary; children Maureen (Terry) Bachman of North Richland Hills, TX, Joe (Shuang) Kelly of Grimes, IA, Mike (Kathy) Kelly of Wichita, KS, Anne (Paul) Steele of Austin, TX, John (Kendra) Kelly of West Des Moines, IA, Dan (Melissa) Kelly of West Des Moines, IA; 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Christina Kelly and sisters Dorothy Schomberg and Elizabeth Giblin. Due to the current circumstance his services were limited to a private family funeral. In lieu of flowers, Don asked that donations be sent to the DMARC Food Pantry or Holy Trinity Church St. Vincent de Paul Society. The family would also like to express their gratitude to the wonderful staff of Arbor Springs in West Des Moines for the care that they provided him, with particular thanks to Colin for all that he did to help Don.