Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Kalvin Kay Kelley flew from this life on the morning of July 23, 2017 while at Regency Wenatchee Nursing Center. Also known as KK, Kal, or Kay he was born in the wild western country of Camas Hot Springs, Montana on August 26, 1924 to Harris and Mabel Kelley. His older brother Marvin was fond of relating his first memory of Kay as his being in a shoe box sitting on the open door of the wood burning oven of their home. Born prematurely, he weighed only 2.5 pounds and was kept warm in this manner as there were no incubators at that time and place.
Kay was six years old when he had the first of what would be thousands of flights. It was in a Ford Tri-motor that landed in a wheat field outside Wilbur, Washington. From this early flight, his future was cast. Flying was in his blood and it became his life’s passion. He graduated from William Winlock Miller High School, Olympia, Washington in 1942.
World War II was raging when he graduated so he enlisted United States Navy and earned his flight wings on April 24, 1945. He flew a wide assortment of military aircraft but mostly flew twin engine transport aircraft such as the C-47. It was during such a flight from Pensacola to Cleveland, Ohio that he met his wife to be, Jeanne Ellen Pearson. He married Jeanne on May 9, 1947 at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. They were married for 58 years and had two sons Kimm and Randy.
He was stationed stateside until the end of the war. He became a weekend warrior with the U.S. Naval Reserve where he first flew a helicopter at the Seattle Naval Air Station located at Sandpoint on Lake Union in Seattle. During the post WWII period, he taught flying in Ellensburg, WA, then became a crop duster for Comb’s West Air out of Yakima. Within a short number of years, he was flying helicopter as a crop duster and charter pilot for Economy Helicopters in Yakima. While with Economy Helicopters he had the great fortune and adventure of flying geologists for Humble Oil Company throughout Alaska including the North Slope from1956 to 1960.
It was in 1961 that he and several associates started their own helicopter business in Yakima and called it Cascade Helicopters. The business relocated to the Chelan/Manson and Cashmere areas in 1964. He retired from the company in 1985 but he did not retire from flying still owning and operating his own helicopter until he was 88. Kalvin was a gifted pilot who logged well over 26,000 flying hours in airplanes and helicopters. He owned and flew many planes and helicopters throughout his life including the Cessna 190 he affectionately called the “Bomber”. Additionally, he was thrilled when he had the opportunity to get checked out and pilot Wally Peterson’s WWII P-51D Mustang fighter plane in Chelan. During his flying career he survived three crashes, one biplane while crop-dusting and two while flying a helicopter (one while crop spraying and the other when he got caught in a white-out flying in the mountains near Manson).
His love for the beautiful Lake Chelan Valley and the people residing there fulfilled him. He was active in the community being a member of the Masonic Lodge, Rotary, the Lions and the Lake Chelan Eagles. He was also an active member of the Chelan County Weed Board for many years. His love for hunting, fishing, bowling, golf and trap shooting was only exceeded by his love of flying. Probably his favorite activity was giving helicopter rides to most everyone possible. During the 1980’s he and his helicopter flew Santa Claus (Jerry Isenhart) between Chelan and Manson surprising children by landing in their yards.
Kal was very friendly and happy guy always liking a good joke or prank, like when he placed a two-year-old frozen Canada goose from our home freezer (that he had not had time to clean following a hunt) in the unlocked car of Jerry Isenhart just before a Thanksgiving. He signed it, “a Thanksgiving goose from the Green Hornet”. Sad part is rumor has it Jerry cooked and ate it!
Kalvin is survived by his loving friend and companion of many years Bernadette “Bab’s” Caley of Chelan. He is also survived by his son’s Kimm Kelley (Lorrie) of Manson and Randy Kelley (Rae Jean) of Okanogan; and by his four grandchildren Kris Kelley, Amber Corrigan (Todd), Sarah Kelley, and Tanner Kelley; and two great granddaughters (Denali and Maycee Corrigan). He was preceded in death by his parents Harris and Mable, his wife Jeanne, his daughter-in-law Cindy Crawford Kelley, and his brother Marvin.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the upstairs meeting room at the Lake Chelan Eagles Lodge, Thursday, July 27, 2017 from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. Eulogy and stories to begin at 3:30. In lieu of flowers, or if you wish to make a charitable donation, please donate in Kal’s name to either the Lake Chelan Eagles Lodge, PO Box 1030, Chelan, WA 98816; or the Lake Chelan Lions Club, PO Box 1521, Chelan, WA 98816.
