Russell Don Kelly

Russell Don Kelly, 85, of Cameron, Okla., passed away Friday, April 21, 2017, in Fort Smith. He was a retired Missionary Baptist pastor, with his last pastorate of 23 years being at Sycamore Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville. He was a Korean War veteran and past member and president of the Fayetteville Exchange Club. He was active in senior citizen activities in and around his Oklahoma residence. He loved people and expressed friendship and respect to all he met. He was born at Sandtown, Ark., on Aug. 5, 1931, to the late James Reed Kelly and Bonnie Seymour Kelly. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Bobbie Jean Wilkerson Kelly, and by two brothers, Paul Kelly and Gene Kelly, and a sister, Mary Ellen Milligan. He is survived by his three children, Carol Jo Gales and her husband, Rick Gales, of Fayetteville, Barbara Gayle Johns and her husband, Thomas Johns, of Cabot, and Robert Don Kelly and his wife, Peggy Kelly, of Ft. Smith, and by grandchildren, Karen Coltharp, Scott Pinkson, Beth Albin, Jeffery Reynolds, Kristin Stark, Rebekah Stout, Erin Taylor and Laura Kelly and 22 great-grandchildren and by his spouse, Charlene Dunn Kelly, of the home and her children, Paul Dunn and his wife, Nanci, of Cameron, Nancy Ahlert of Ft. Smith, Cindy Baker and her husband Jim of Broken Arrow, and Charley Dunn and his wife, Lisa, of Crane, Indiana, and 14 step-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at Living Faith Baptist Church, 12515 AR-253, Ft. Smith, Ark., under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Visitation will occur following the service. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. on the same day in the Mt. Comfort Cemetery, West Mt. Comfort Road, Fayetteville, Ark. Thomas Johns, Rick Gales, Jeffery Reynolds, Tyler Hooper, Corey Hooper and Scott Pinkston will serve as Pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully request that memorials be sent to Living Faith Baptist Church and Peachtree Hospice. To place online tributes, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.