Timothy Edward Kelly
September 3, 1956 – January 20, 2022
Timothy Edward Kelly was born to Margaret (Maine) Kelly and Patrick Kelly of Estherville and Spirit Lake, Iowa, along with seven siblings. He passed away while in hospice in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Tim had a diverse work history throughout his life and was proud to call several places home. After graduating from City High in Iowa City, Iowa, he worked as a welder and carpenter in New Orleans, Louisiana, and lived in Spirit Lake, Iowa, for over ten years where he had numerous friends who affectionately called him “Rocky.”
Tim later lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Honolulu, Hawaii;California, Florida and New Mexico. Though a gifted cabinet maker and accomplished in many fields, he attained degrees in Information Technology (IT) from New Mexico State University and IT Management from Polk State College, Florida. Tim’s work history includes long-term positions at Xerox, AT&T, Queen’s Medical Center and many nonprofit and service positions including Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Clark’s House – a ministry serving homeless Veterans. Tim’s final position in Albuquerque was as a Senior-level Engineer for IDEMIA – a law enforcement identity system for the State of New Mexico. He was also a long-time member of the Blazing Fire Church in California.
He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas Maine (Uncle), Sheila (sister), and Kevin and Sean (brothers). He is survived by his brother Patrick Kelly of Costa Mesa, CA;sister Theresa Kelly (Randal Hamana) of Honolulu, HI;brother Brian Kelly (Heather) and family of Springfield and his sister, Bridget Ann Kelly of Albuquerque.
Tim loved outdoor physical activities including running, tennis and hiking. His exacting yet gentle sense of humor was best experienced when he was sharing his collection of classic films and television. He was a deeply kind and generous man to his final days. God was integral in Tim’s life, and it showed in his personal interactions with others as well as in his love for nature. He took a sunset walk nearly every evening, enjoyed frequent excursions to remote parts of the Southwest and enjoyed the care and feeding of local hummingbirds.
Tim was a dedicated worker, loving brother, loyal friend, and devoted Christian who supported a number of charities world-wide. In keeping with his generous spirit, Tim donated his body to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in hopes that his experience with Uveal Melanoma can benefit the lives of others. It was a gift to have known and loved Tim and our love for him will remain in our hearts forever. A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a later date.