Edmund R.T. Kelley ’44

The class lost a friend of many when Ned died May 18, 2010, in Hartford, Conn.  

An accomplished athlete at the Taft School, he continued his prowess in varsity soccer and as a hockey goalie at Princeton. A member of Cottage Club, he roomed with Linc Johnson, Bill Tiernan, Jim Crawford, and Jack Myers. Attached to the French Army while serving in the American Field Service during World War II, Ned considered that his winning an Opel during a day-long poker game was a notable accomplishment.  

After the war, Ned worked for Time-Life International for eight years, then joined the family wine-importing company in New York City. The business took him to Europe yearly until his retirement in 1981. Burdened with a speech impediment, Ned nevertheless incorporated his handicap into his personality in a long, successful sales career.  

Ned is survived by five sons, Rick (Edmund Jr.), Phil, Peter, David, and Ted; and 10 grandchildren. The warmth of his personality and smile was memorably enjoyed at the class’s 65th reunion in 2009.