Richard and Edna Kelly, 1940s

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Edna Kelly.

Richard Harry Kelly was born in January, 1921 in San Francisco to "Rose Smith" who turned out to be Louella Kirtley. His father was listed as James Patterson. He was given the name Peter Patterson and placed in a Catholic orphanage right after birth with the request that he be placed with an Irish Catholic family. When he was two or so he was placed with the Kelly family in Reno, Nevada. They were very good to him and he was to them too. DNA has proven his birth mother was Louella Kirtley. He never knew who his birth mother was or that he had siblings. He had two children, a girl and a boy. His adoptive father taught him the plumbing trade and he had his own business until he retired. He died in Fort Bragg, CA in May 2003 from emphysema which he had for years. He was funny, philosophical and loved learning. He was very private.