Art Kelley

L

Larry Costa

New member
I am very sad to inform you that the "Iron Man of Benchrest", Art Kelley passed away last night.
As most of you know that compete in Benchrest, Art Kelley has been a figure that has inspired many of us when times were, by our perspective, tough. Art has suffered from MS for over 20 years and yet has managed to drive across the country, compete, help to set flags and been an example of what tough really is.
The MS had been weakening Art for years and this year was by far the worst. Last Fall he came down with pneumonia, which to most of us is curable, but to Art who was so weak from MS, it eventualy became impossible to fight.
Art's son Jim told me that final arrangements are being done. I will inform you as I find out.
Please keep Art and his family in your prayers. I'm sure Art is with the Lord, probably planning a Benchrest rest match in Heaven right now.

Larry Costa
 
We are diminished. I know of no one who does not respect Art. He was an inspiration to all of us. My prayers and thoughts are for the family of this man. He fought through many days of competition without complaint and in the process garnered the respect of the entire BR community. Rest in peace, friend. James Mock
 
Passing of a real inspiration

What a shock, Dana and I had just spoken about going to visit Art tomorrow to tell him about the match of this past week-end and "berate" him for not being there and helping out! We all knew how bad his situtation had become but Art was tough and had fought for so long I guess you feel he would just continue to hang in there. For the people who knew him he was truly an inspiration due to his continued persistence in living as active a life as possible under conditions that most men would have given into a long time ago. To see Art struggle to even push himself up off the bench to bolt in a round and do this for days at the long shoots was truly humbling. When I started shooting, Art would be at he range every Sat..and never failed to answer any question or correct when I was doing something stupid (usually with his usual dry caustic humor).

Farewell friend you have earned your rest.
 
Its truely a sad day

I will never forget him rolling up to his bench in his wheel chair or him walking his dog after the days shooting was done. He was a great fella and will be missed
 
If ever the Southeast Region had someone to look up to for inspiration, Art was that man.

We will surely miss him and Bronco his friend and companion.
 
Oh man! This news really hurts. What an unbelievable man and now he's gone. He paid a hell of a price here on earth with never a complaint. He was named the Iron Man for a reason!
Charlie and Cheryl
 
Several years ago the southeast region started a 4 gun trophy in Art's name called the Iron Man Trophy. I wasnt there the first year it was given out but i was told later that after Larry Costa won this award there was not a dry eye in the place. The following year i was fortunate enough to win this award and it is and will always be one of the most cherished awards i will ever receive. I never saw Art when he wasnt smiling, unless he was saying a few choice words about a bad group he just shot. We have truly lost one of the good one's!

And to Larry Costa, I feel sure Art was very grateful for all the help you gave him over the years.

Andy
 
Yeah, Inspirational to say the least.
Somehow it was like he wasn't in that wheelchair, he transcended his earthly limitations. I'll bet Bronco is just crushed without him.
 
Inspirational all right....

There was nothing quite like being at day 4 of a nationals, sweating to death, feeling like you've been run over by a truck, knowing you had another 2 hours of moving flags, prepping brass, and cleaning barrels before you could leave. And then watching Art scoot by like he just rolled into the range. Inspirational is an understatement. Rest in peace, Art. You certainly did all you could in this world.

Thanks for passing the word on, Larry...... Scott
 
This is very sad news indeed. Art's inner strength was awesome. He was a fine gentleman who pursued his love of our sport despite his increasing disability. A Prince among men has left us.

Jeff
 
Art was one tough hombre. I'll miss him and Bronco....................Just like Art to leave this earth the day after the Manatee shoot so he didn't disturb the match. Thanks Larry.

Later
Dave
 
There was a range, Lakeland I think, that put Art on the same bench everytime so it would be easier. I asked Art if he liked that and he said "Hell no....but don't say anything cause they're just trying to help".

This news packs me in for a while...
 
Art Kelly and Eddie Watson...
There was a song by George Jones a while back that said it all...

"Who's gonna fill their shoes ?"
 
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Sorry to hear this news !!!!!

Art won every match he attended in all his friends minds. I will miss his friendship, the smell of his pipe and seeing him and Bronco together. I know he's in a better place now.
 
This is some very sad news indeed...
As many have already stated, Art was a true gentleman! Really hard to complain about your personal aches or pains when you look how Art endured a much, much tougher on-going daily battle with his MS...
Larry Costa... My hat is off to you! As you are to be commended for all your your tireless efforts and generosity in assisting Art with so many BR preparation tasks so he could compete in many of our matches.
It was always hard not to get choked-up seeing Art before and after the SS seeing him helping to assemble/disassemble wind flags, w/o any complaint!
We should all learn and take something positive away from Art's attitude and positive outlook!
Will keep you in all my prayers, Art!
May you have earned a high-place in Heaven and rest in peace...
Jack
 
Jack,
Thanks for the compliment but there were a lot of people that helped Art. I may have been more visible than some because I would set up his equipment on the range.
I don't want to go into naming all the people that helped Art (because I might forget a bunch of them) but the list would be huge. In effect the whole benchrest community should be proud because I never saw ANYONE not help Art when he needed it. This is a CLASS SPORT!!!
Larry Costa
 
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