Gerald “Jerry” Kelsey went home to be with his Lord and Savior on August 2, 2026, with his family by his side. Jerry was born on the family farm November 24,1936 in Craig County Oklahoma, on the banks of the Neosho River. He was the third of four children born to Carl and Marion Kelsey. Life could be fun and a little dangerous along the river. After an especially bad flood in 1943 that filled their house with water and forced them to leave in a 14 foot homemade boat, his father decided to move them to the prairie two and a half miles away.

Jerry started school in a one-room school house and later finished his high school years at Welch High School. It wasn’t long until he left for Okmulgee Tech. It was during this time he met and fell in love with Gerry Morris. It wasn’t long before they married on October 18, 1958, and their love has continued for over 67 years. They had many adventures in life, including Jerry being drafted into the Army in 1960. After this they went to Grants, New Mexico for work. It was while they were there living in the tiniest trailer imaginable that they had their first child, Lisa.

Shortly after this time they began to attend church. They also had their second child, Karen, and just a few years later they moved back to Oklahoma to work alongside his father on the farm. Their son Scott was born not too long after that. Even though they lived in the country they never failed to go to church and were faithful in all the church services.

In 1976 they decided to seek out a new adventure in life and move to Sapulpa. Jerry had various jobs including being a welder, owning an appliance repair shop, driving a school bus and then becoming the custodial director for Central Oklahoma Vo Tech where he officially retired in 2000. He went on to drive Seniors to doctors appointments and then finally drive a bus for Head Start.

Jerry was always involved in church whether it was teaching a class, driving a bus, singing in the choir, serving as a deacon, or working alongside his wife in the nursery. He even volunteered at youth camp a few years with the maintenance team and went on a mission trip to Mexico. If something needed fixing, he would figure out how to make it work. Trips to visit his son or daughter’s families always involved a list of things that needed to be fixed, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Marion Kelsey and his brother Jimmie Kelsey. He is survived by his wife Gerry who is in Memory Care at The Grove; daughter Lisa Hites and husband Frank; daughter Karen Wilson and husband Kent; son Scott Kelsey and wife Jennifer; eight grandchildren and their spouses; seventeen great grandchildren; sisters Joy and Patty along with many other family members and friends.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, Aug 7 from 10:00 AM at Southwest Baptist Church 5304 South 33rd West Avenue, Tulsa.

Arrangements are in the care of Green Hill Funeral Home. 

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