Frank Kelly's Obituary
Frank Kelly of Fayetteville, AR went to be with our Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at the age of 78. He was born September 27, 1945, in Fayetteville, AR, a son of the late Leonard Kelly and Bonita Routh Thornton.
Frank was a lifelong resident of Fayetteville and a well-regarded and active member of the community throughout his life. He attended Fayetteville High School, where he met the love of his life, Ann Douglas. Frank and Ann shared 58 amazing years of marriage. One of Frank’s most cherished and proud achievements was being a supportive father to his son Kenny and daughter Kim, and being a loving “Pawpaw” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His love and devotion to his family was undeniable.
After college, he started his career at one of the family-owned businesses, Fulbright Wood Products. He later moved to the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, another family-owned business, where he rose to the position of General Manager. When his father-in-law retired, Frank became the CEO of Fulbright Enterprises, the parent company of several local businesses, including the Coke Plant, Fayetteville Ice Company, Northwest Arkansas Vending Company, and others. After retiring from Fulbright Enterprises, Frank and John Lewis partnered to become the founding members of the Bank of Fayetteville. He served on the Board of Directors at the Bank for 28 years until it was sold to Farmer’s and Merchants. During his tenure at the bank, Frank purchased 80 acres of land on Bridgewater Lane in Fayetteville and built the Kelly Cattle Company from scratch, which was one of his proudest career achievements. He took an enormous interest in farming and enjoyed sharing his passion and expertise with others. Amongst these many accomplishments, Frank also took great pride in his strength, dedication, and perseverance that contributed to his remarkable 34 years of sobriety. This enabled him to mentor and sponsor countless others and had a lasting positive impact to the AA community.
Frank was a dedicated and successful businessman who also cared a great deal about his community. He dedicated his time and service to politics by being elected as Justice of the Peace in 1999. He donated to many charities, such as The Boys and Girls Club of Fayetteville, St. Jude’s Hospital, and local animal shelters. Frank also had an immense interest and excitement for the sports world. He sponsored, and enjoyed coaching, both youth and adult sports teams mentoring his athletes to be the best version of themselves. His dedication and commitment to the sport of softball led to his induction into the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame in 2007. Frank was a lifetime member of the Razorback Foundation, a season ticket holder and a loyal, enthusiastic Razorback Fan. He liked football, basketball, and baseball and was often found enjoying these events with his family and friends.
One thing everyone knew about Frank was that he had a great love for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was a devoted outdoorsman who journeyed throughout the US and Mexico on hunting and fishing adventures, spending time with family and friends and creating cherished memories that we now hold so close to our hearts. Some of his favorite sporting trips were hunting pheasant in South Dakota, antelope in Wyoming, and elk in Colorado. He shot trap for many years and was an Arkansas state champion in his division. His enthusiasm and love for the outdoors was a hobby that was inherited and shared by many of his family members. Some might say Frank was most at ease, most connected, and most at peace when he was outdoors.
Frank enjoyed spending his days with family and friends, whether they were at home sharing stories and laughing, or traveling to places like Disney World and Acapulco to relax and create lasting memories. But above all, Frank was a pillar of strength for his family and friends. He was our protector, our provider; and the deep love he had for the people in his life was unmistakable. Frank was always the first person to offer help to anyone that needed assistance at any time. The void and loss of Frank Kelly is immeasurable, but his memory will continue through our mutual love and respect. He has influenced each of our lives, leaving an imprint on our hearts that will bind us forever.
Frank is survived by his wife, Ann Douglas Kelly; his children - Kenny Kelly and wife Barbara, Kim and husband John Baxter; his grandchildren - Cerissa and husband Daniel Hayot, Chase Kelly; his great-grandchildren - Edmond Hayot, Henry Hayot, Isabel Hayot; and his siblings - brother, Greg Thornton, and sisters, Valerie Ross and Debra Johnson.
Graveside services will be held 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Fayetteville Animal Services, 1640 S. Armstrong Ave, Fayetteville, AR, 72701.
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