had a brilliant career as an electrical engineer at the Kennedy Space Center
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Thomas “Todd” J. Kelly, 68, of Rockledge, FL, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his wife on July 19, 2024. He was born on November 13, 1955 in Baltimore, MD, the youngest child and only son of Clarence and Dorothy (Schreiber) Kelly.
He often reminisced about the times he went crabbing and fishing with his father in the Chesapeake Bay. Tom graduated from John Carroll School in 1973, where he participated in the choir and performed in musicals.
He then attended King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but in his senior year he decided to let off steam instead, dropped out, and hitchhiked west. He spent the next few years on salmon boats and doing other odd jobs while traveling up and down the West Coast. In 1979, at the age of 23, Tom enlisted in the United States Air Force. As a pilot, he worked as an air traffic controller, which he enjoyed greatly.
This position took him to Hahn AFB in Germany. After returning to the United States, he was stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina.
In 1984, he was selected for the Airman Education and Commissioning Program and assigned to the University of South Carolina. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, he attended officer training school and was promoted to second lieutenant in 1987.
His first assignment was as a lieutenant at Los Angeles AFB, California. In 1991, Tom was selected for the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Select Graduate Program in Engineering. He attended the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma, Tennessee, and graduated in 1992 with a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.
After proudly serving his country for 17 years (3 months and 23 days, he added), he honorably retired as a Captain from Patrick AFB, Florida in 1996. As a civilian, Tom had a brilliant career as an electrical engineer, including a stint as a contractor at the Kennedy Space Center.
In his second career, he monitored nuclear tests around the world (which took him as far away as Kazakhstan), built radar systems in central Florida, and worked on the shuttle program, installing lightning detection equipment and supporting communications contracts. He retired in 2013.
In retirement, he enjoyed all that Florida had to offer – fishing, boating his Gheenoe on the St. Johns River, bird watching, spring hunting, visiting national parks, kayaking, hiking, taking long drives in wildlife refuges, and watching rocket launches from his backyard.
He was also able to indulge his love of the performing arts by attending amateur theater, symphony orchestras, chamber music, musicals, Shakespeare theater, ballet and concerts.
He is survived by his wife Debbie (married June 2, 1999), his daughter Jennifer Kelly and granddaughters Bryanna, Jaylynn and Mia of Avalon, FL, his sons Daniel Kelly of Kissimmee, FL, Thomas Kelly of Detroit, MI, and Ian Kelly of San Francisco, CA, his stepsons Bret and Brian Barlow, and his nephews Michael and Matthew Ridgaway.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Dorothy Kelly and his sisters Sharren Kelly and Katherine Ridgaway.
Tom will be buried at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation Center. Tom’s wife has entrusted his care to Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care. “Work is not an end in itself; there must always be time for love.” (A quote from Tom’s favorite book) – Time for Love by Robert A. Heinlein.
