Obituary of Neil Matthew Kelly

Neil Matthew Kelly passed away at his place of residence in Hollister, California on February 28, 2021 at the age of 90. Neil Matthew Kelly was born in Bowman, ND on June 1, 1930. His mother, Margaret O’Neil, was city girl from Indiana, and his father, Hugh Kelly, was an Indiana boy with a dream to become a rancher. They embarked on a journey to Bowman where Hugh became a sheep rancher, grazing thousands of sheep on the North Dakota plains, and raised two sons. Neil’s mother captured her thoughts on her new life in Bowman in a letter to her mother, calling it “grand”. Neil surmised that she was lying, and he didn’t remember it quite that way! Neil spent his first years in Bowman, remembering once being out on the plains with his dad at dusk, being put on top of a horse, and having his dad slap the horse on the rear. All he remembers is hanging on and being happy that the horse knew the way home in the dark. His horse stories started early in his life; he remembers being bucked off into a cactus in the wilderness and having to get home to his mother where she plucked the thorns out of his head with pliers. And of course, the priceless photo of him atop the horse that his dad brought into the house on Christmas Eve for a picture with him on it by the fire. That little tradition caused some consternation later in his married life! Neil spent his elementary school years with his cousin, Jean. They were fast friends all their lives with only one dispute, where Neil, who held the title of being named “neatest” each day in the first grade, was usurped by Jean one day. Neil didn’t take it very well because he promptly went outside on the playground and punched her! Jean seemed to get passed it because they remained the closest of friends their whole lives. Neil’s friends have collectively said that “Neil was ordained a pilot.” He wanted to learn to fly when he was growing up in Seattle and, in an attempt to gain hours, he would sleep under the wing of the planes at the local airport, so he could be there first thing in the morning when the pilots showed up. He was blessed to have crossed paths with a wonderful military pilot named Bob Asbury, who took him under his “wing” and gave him guidance and opportunities to get hours and certifications that helped him along the way. He made friends like Tom Dyer, Ted Nicolay, Vern Wassman, and Doug Black as he embarked on his airline career, and they made memories and shared laughs and some of the best stories of Neil’s life. Neil attributed getting the job at United Air Lines to “being at the right place at the right time”. But he made the most of it by flying all over the world and retiring after 38 years as a 747-400 captain flying to Sydney. Neil met the love of his life on a flight between Seattle and Los Angeles in 1954. Neil invited stewardess Mary Canavan to come for a swim in the pool at the hotel in Santa Monica and Mary said that she didn’t like pools, so she invited him to go with her to swim in the ocean. Neil didn’t like swimming in the ocean, so he went for a swim in the pool, and she went for a swim in the ocean, and no one can figure out how they ever got together! But it was a match made in heaven because they married soon after and shared 65 wonderful years together! Neil owned a drive-in restaurant named “Kellys” in Seattle and Mary learned to be a carhop, fast food cook and cashier in short order. They sold Kellys and moved to Menlo Park where Neil convinced Mary that they should “build” their own house. He credits his buddy, Jerry Quitney, for teaching him the trade and, in turn, he taught Mary to use a hammer and nail shingles, and she could be found on any given day on the roof of the house, with their newborn in a stroller in the yard below. Neil and Mary had their daughters Colleen and Susan while they were building and selling and building houses in Menlo Park, but Neil soon got a captain bid out of O’Hare, and they moved to Downers Grove, Illinois, where they, of course, built two more houses! While they were vacationing in Hawaii, Mary and Neil met Wence and Doris McDonald, who raced standardbred harness horses. Then, after just settling into their newly built home in Downers Grove, Neil bought a 44-acre farm in Elgin, Illinois, and a ½ interest in two standardbred pacers…and Monterey Farm was born. Their son, Chris, was born in 1964 and their three children grew up on the farm with horses, barn cats, German Shepherds and Charlie, the family’s beloved horse groom. Neil took on harness racing with a vengeance. In 1967, he met driver/trainer Gene Vallandingham, and they embarked on building the Monterey Farm racing stable. Five years later, in 1971, Monterey Farm set a record, winning 119 races in a single year. Neil and Gene had a successful partnership in racing for almost 40 years, and Neil often said that over those years, not a single discouraging word was said between them. Gene and Neil spoke almost daily until the last day of his life. In 1973, Neil and Mary sold the farm in Elgin, Illinois and moved 79 head of horses to California, and transported 29 of the current racing stock into SFO on a United Air Lines DC-8 cargo liner. Monterey Farm raced successfully for many years in California while Neil was flying, and Mary was holding down the fort in Hollister. They later transitioned the farm to a breeding farm, standing Peter Lobell and Sparking Speed, top standardbred stallions in California for many years, and then converted the farm to row crop, which it still is today. Neil always said that he couldn’t imagine a career better than flying all over the world and seeing it from 30,000 feet! He was fortunate to expand to the Pacific routes when United starting flying to Australia and Hong Kong. Mary often tagged along, and they were able to see the world together…even though Mary sometimes didn’t get home at the same time, due to “standby” travel! In 1967 Neil was chosen by United to fly Richard Nixon during his presidential campaign. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and he met many amazing people during that year, including politicians, staff, journalists, and the president-elect and his family. Neil was able to fly for many years with his close friends, Ted Kelly and Joe Schenke, where they spent many hours in the cockpit, and the majority of his most hilarious flying stories were born. One of the things that Neil will be best remembered for, was his proselytizing that “there IS a fountain of youth, and it is called exercise.” And Neil didn’t just talk the talk, he ran for years, and walked for miles after his running days were over, and rode his bike and Airdyne every day, without fail, rain or shine, for seven decades. He left many converts in his wake, and he stands tall as everyone’s hero for the example he set, the encouragement he provided, and the kindness and compliments he offered to everyone who took their fitness seriously. Neil never drank a cup of coffee, took a drink, or smoked a cigarette. Unfortunately, Neil was not without fault, but only when it came to sweets. He was the honorary president of Fanny May, See’s Candies, After Eight, Ghiradelli, Nestlé, Baskin-Robbins, and he made the BEST fudge ever! He was known to squirrel away Butterscotch Squares, preferred an almond croissant to anything you could wake up to, and the Madonna Inn made a foot-high toffee crunch cake that he could finish by himself! Neil always said that he led a charmed life…he “had a career that he loved, spent his life with a woman he loved, and lived in a place that he loved”…he didn’t have a single regret. He always had a sparkle in his eye and was ALWAYS ready with a damn good story. He is missed every single day. Neil passed away, surrounded by his family, on February 28, 2021. Neil is survived by his three children, Colleen (Guillermo) Murguia, Susan (Greg) Hogan and Chris (Lianne) Kelly, their six grandchildren, Jarrod Wells, Kelly (Brandon) Kasper and Ciara (Tommy) Goines (Colleen’s children), Catherine and Jack Hogan (Susan’s children), and Tabitha Kelly (Chris’ daughter), three great-grandchilden, Ronald and Rhett Kasper and Charlotte Goines, his brother and sister-in-law Edgar and Ingrid Canavan, nieces and nephews Edgar (Valentina) Canavan III, Dr. Lydia Canavan (Roy) Skog, Lorna (Randy) Kahn, and Bryan Canavan, and dearest friends, Gene Vallandingham, Jerry Quitney, Ingrid Clauson, Laverne Lense, Marian Edwards, Doug Black, Bill Asbury, Pat DeMoss, Hannah Cornell, Ted Kelly, and Joe Schenke. To all who were not mentioned, it is by our error, because Neil remembered everyone who crossed his path in his life. He will be remembered…