Nathan Donald Kelley

Nathan Donald Kelley, 80, passed away Saturday, September 13, 2014. He was born December 28, 1933 in the Red Oak Community in Covington County, Alabama. In 1951, Nathan was in the National Guard. His unit “The Dixon Division” was mobilized to fight in the Korean War. In 1953, Nathan married his high school sweetheart, Frances Clark, and they moved to Green Cove Springs, Florida. He first worked at Shadowland Dairy, then the ship yards in Jacksonville and E I Dupont, and then spent 15 years at Johns Manville. Nathan finished his career at the Clay County School Board where he spent 18 years. He started out as a laborer, later promoted to lead carpenter and worked his way up to Coordinator of Non-Technical trades before retiring in 1998. His retirement years were filled with fishing, traveling and his great love, gardening. Nathan worked with the youth baseball league at the Green Cove Springs Naval base until the hometown fields of Carl Pugh Park were built. There he coached Little League and Pony League for several years. The girls’ softball field at Carl Pugh Park was named the “Donald Kelley Field” in his honor. Always for the love of sports, he mentored many young boys as well as coaching a men’s softball team called “Clark Bulldozer”, and a women’s softball team called the “Mechanics”. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ola Mae Kelley, 4 brothers; Cecil, Harold, Earl, Tobe and one sister Loette Townsend. Nathan leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Frances Clark Kelley, sons Russell (Martha), Mike (Rose) and daughter Bonnie (George), 11 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren, one sister Mary Terry, and one brother Robert Kelley. Funeral Services will be at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs at 11 a.m., Wednesday, September 17, 2014, followed by interment at Hickory Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at Hickory Grove Baptist Church. Pall Bearers will be Nathan’s beloved grandsons; Steven, Charles, Jason, Steve, Brian, Shawn, Daniel, George, Patrick and great grandson Devon. Honorary pall bearers are; Clarence Hampshire, Charlie Allwood, Al Williams, Levi Martin, George Head, and Tom Richardson. Please sign the family’s online register book at www.broadusraines.com. Arrangements are under the care of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home, 501 Spring St., Green Cove Springs, FL (904) 284-4000.