Obituary for John Irwin Kelly
JOHN I. KELLY
June 23, 1932 – May 24, 2021
John I. Kelly went to his eternal home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday evening, May 24th surrounded by his family and several friends. John was born in San Francisco on June 23, 1932 to H.W. Pat & Eleanor Kelly. John entered this world just 10 minutes before his twin brother Tom – a fact that was often repeated to point out which of the two was older, and they joined older sister Patsy. Growing up in they San Joaquin Valley, he attended elementary school in Bakersfield and graduated from Shafter High School. John attended a spring semester of college at UC Berkley, and then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall of 1951 and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in June 1955.
In the fall of his 3rd year at the academy, his roommate Peter Maitland set him up on a blind date with his sister Elaine Maitland. They met on the 50 yard line after the Army-Navy football game. Two years later John and Elaine were married on October 29, 1955 and have enjoyed each other’s company, friendship, and love for over 65 years.
Upon graduation from the Academy John was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps serving in Quantico VA, Guam, and Hawaii. In December 1958, while stationed in Honolulu, HI, he and Elaine welcomed their first child Michael. John retired from the Marines with 4 years of service at the rank of Captain and began law school at Stanford University. While in Palo Alto, John and Elaine delivered their second child Shawn in December 1961. John graduated from Stanford with J.D. degree in the spring of 1962 and was admitted to the California Bar in January 1963. He and Elaine moved to Bakersfield and he joined a law practice with Glenn Bultman and Henry Bianchi. In April of 1963 John and Elaine welcomed their daughter Melissa into this world.
In 1964 he became a partner in the law firm of Bultman, Bianchi and Kelly where he practiced civil, business and family law for 24 years. In January of 1988 he was appointed to the Kern County Superior Court where he served for 20 years until his retirement in May 2008. John enjoyed his law practice, but he more so enjoyed his service on the bench. John is fondly remembered because of the way he encouraged and served attorneys, jury members, sheriff staff, and other court employees who would often comment about his reassuring and pleasant demeaner and the way he managed his court room. One of his greatest joys was helping and serving others - from his position as legal advisor and superior court judge he loved writing letters of recommendation to help others succeed in their application of education or employment. John served 10 years presiding over the family law court. John loved Fridays in his court room – it was adoption day, as he assisted with the adoption of hundreds of children into their new families. In his position as a judge, he also enjoyed officiating over countless marriage ceremonies.
John was active and committed to his Bakersfield community. He was a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, a member and past president of Stockdale Country Club, and a past president of the YMCA. He served as legal counsel the Boy Scouts of Kern County as well as contributing time to the Panama School District and Kern High School District. John was an active member of his church attending St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Shafter), St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and a charter member of Trinity Anglican Church.
Strong family relationships were important to John, and his significant legacy is reflected in his family. John was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Patsy and twin brother Tom, his nephew Patrick, and his son-in-law Bill Bolinger. He is survived by his wife Elaine, and their three children – Michael, Shawn (Lori) and Melissa. He was Papa to his 8 grandchildren – Sara (Nick), Peter (Kim), Amy (Jesse), Amber, Cody, Megan, Liam and Jack, and great grandfather of 8 to Evelyn, Henry, Shawn, Lucy, Naomi, Ayla, and twins Margo and Walter. He is also survived by several nephews and nieces who he loved dearly.
The community is invited to celebrate John’s life on Friday June 4th at 1pm in a memorial service at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 4500 Buena Vista Road in Bakersfield. In lieu of flowers, John would be honored if you remembered him with a donation to the Trinity Anglican Church building fund (gifts can me made online or mailed to the church address – 11300 Campus Park Drive, Bakersfield, CA, 93311).
June 23, 1932 – May 24, 2021
John I. Kelly went to his eternal home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday evening, May 24th surrounded by his family and several friends. John was born in San Francisco on June 23, 1932 to H.W. Pat & Eleanor Kelly. John entered this world just 10 minutes before his twin brother Tom – a fact that was often repeated to point out which of the two was older, and they joined older sister Patsy. Growing up in they San Joaquin Valley, he attended elementary school in Bakersfield and graduated from Shafter High School. John attended a spring semester of college at UC Berkley, and then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall of 1951 and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in June 1955.
In the fall of his 3rd year at the academy, his roommate Peter Maitland set him up on a blind date with his sister Elaine Maitland. They met on the 50 yard line after the Army-Navy football game. Two years later John and Elaine were married on October 29, 1955 and have enjoyed each other’s company, friendship, and love for over 65 years.
Upon graduation from the Academy John was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps serving in Quantico VA, Guam, and Hawaii. In December 1958, while stationed in Honolulu, HI, he and Elaine welcomed their first child Michael. John retired from the Marines with 4 years of service at the rank of Captain and began law school at Stanford University. While in Palo Alto, John and Elaine delivered their second child Shawn in December 1961. John graduated from Stanford with J.D. degree in the spring of 1962 and was admitted to the California Bar in January 1963. He and Elaine moved to Bakersfield and he joined a law practice with Glenn Bultman and Henry Bianchi. In April of 1963 John and Elaine welcomed their daughter Melissa into this world.
In 1964 he became a partner in the law firm of Bultman, Bianchi and Kelly where he practiced civil, business and family law for 24 years. In January of 1988 he was appointed to the Kern County Superior Court where he served for 20 years until his retirement in May 2008. John enjoyed his law practice, but he more so enjoyed his service on the bench. John is fondly remembered because of the way he encouraged and served attorneys, jury members, sheriff staff, and other court employees who would often comment about his reassuring and pleasant demeaner and the way he managed his court room. One of his greatest joys was helping and serving others - from his position as legal advisor and superior court judge he loved writing letters of recommendation to help others succeed in their application of education or employment. John served 10 years presiding over the family law court. John loved Fridays in his court room – it was adoption day, as he assisted with the adoption of hundreds of children into their new families. In his position as a judge, he also enjoyed officiating over countless marriage ceremonies.
John was active and committed to his Bakersfield community. He was a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, a member and past president of Stockdale Country Club, and a past president of the YMCA. He served as legal counsel the Boy Scouts of Kern County as well as contributing time to the Panama School District and Kern High School District. John was an active member of his church attending St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Shafter), St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and a charter member of Trinity Anglican Church.
Strong family relationships were important to John, and his significant legacy is reflected in his family. John was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Patsy and twin brother Tom, his nephew Patrick, and his son-in-law Bill Bolinger. He is survived by his wife Elaine, and their three children – Michael, Shawn (Lori) and Melissa. He was Papa to his 8 grandchildren – Sara (Nick), Peter (Kim), Amy (Jesse), Amber, Cody, Megan, Liam and Jack, and great grandfather of 8 to Evelyn, Henry, Shawn, Lucy, Naomi, Ayla, and twins Margo and Walter. He is also survived by several nephews and nieces who he loved dearly.
The community is invited to celebrate John’s life on Friday June 4th at 1pm in a memorial service at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 4500 Buena Vista Road in Bakersfield. In lieu of flowers, John would be honored if you remembered him with a donation to the Trinity Anglican Church building fund (gifts can me made online or mailed to the church address – 11300 Campus Park Drive, Bakersfield, CA, 93311).