~ IN MEMORY ~
USAF veteran, DL Capt. Bernard “Bert” Kelly
October 7, 1937 ~ August 6, 2026
“To live in the hearts we
leave behind is not to die.”
Captain Bernard “Bert” Lee Kelly joined Delta Air
Lines 09-13-1965 and retired with Delta in 1997 based Atlanta. Widowed in 2009 with the passing of his wife
Wanda, Bert is survived by his daughters and their families. Services for Captain Kelly will be held Aug.
15 & 16 ….please see obituary below for locations.
Obituary provided by family:
Bernard Lee Kelly, 88 years old, passed away peacefully in the
comfort of his Southwood home in Tallahassee, FL – around 1:40am on August 6,
2026. He was surrounded by his three daughters, all of whom had personally
cared for him during his recent physical decline.
Bernard (most fondly known as Bert) was born October 7, 1937 in
Tifton, Georgia. A descendant of Irish immigrants, he grew up visiting the
Kelly family 150 acre farm in Grady County, just north of Whigham – where he
quickly learned, and fell in love with, the value of simple country living. As
a child, he was surrounded by the expansive, positive power of family: his
mother died when he was just a boy; as a result, his extended relatives became
more like parents and siblings. He grew up with cousins for playmates – and
leaned on the support of aunts, uncles, and grandparents to shepherd his
adolescence. The definitive loss of his mother in early childhood yielded his
lifelong, unwavering commitment to his sisters and extended family.
His family moved to Tallahassee, Florida when he was a teenager,
and he attended Leon High School (class of 1955). He went on to attend Florida
State University before joining the US Air Force. Following in the footsteps of
his father (who was a mail bus driver, then a Trailways bus driver), Bert was
inspired to establish a career in transportation – but found his true calling
in the skies. While in the US Air Force (stationed in Laredo, Texas), he flew
fighter jets and eventually served as a flight instructor; his call sign was
Little Jug.
He began his career with Delta Airlines in 1965, commissioning his
most beloved identity: Captain Bert Kelly. Throughout his 37 years with Delta,
he took on many leadership roles – but he had particular pride in serving as
captain of the L1011. As a Delta pilot, he cherished the opportunity to not
just see the world, but share it. His loved ones consider themselves lucky to
have traversed the globe in his company or in his honor. Though he touched down
in, and took off from, too many locations to name… his favorite places on the
planet were Ireland, the Colorado Rockies, and Florida’s Gulf Coast.
He retired from Delta in 1997 – and lived the next decades of his
life traveling for pleasure, prioritizing quality time with family (especially
his daughters and his grandchildren), and enjoying Tallahassee’s bounty of
personal blessings (including all manner of FSU sports and his lake-facing
front porch view). In his later years, despite the loss of his wife and an 18
year battle with cancer (multiple myeloma), Bert continued to seek out the best
of the best. Bert appreciated the value of a good joke, a well-orchestrated
surprise, and a simple breeze. He read the local newspaper religiously (his
first job, after all, was delivering papers by bicycle in Donalsonville, GA as
a boy). His heroes were Bobby Bowden, George Strait, and Jesus. His generosity
was undeniable, his reliability was unmatched, and his heart was pure.
Bert’s faith as a Christian was his true north, punctuating every
day he lived with reflection and intention. He was a man prone to preach – but
his willingness to dole out wisdom was always balanced by an openness to
consider another’s perspective. He modeled the art of genuine listening, and he
welcomed healthy debate. Above all, though, he sought to understand his
neighbor, practice unconditional love, and answer to his Maker alone.
Bert was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Lorena Barber, in
1948; his father, Oscar Bernard Kelly, in 1977; and his wife, Wanda Reddick
Kelly, in 2009. He is survived by his three daughters, Jennifer Kelly Martin,
Lee Ann Kelly, and Alyssa Kelly; his sisters Patsy Cooper and Nancy Radford;
and four grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Immanuel Baptist Church
(2351 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee FL 32308) on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at
1:00pm.
A Committal Service will be held at Friendship Cemetery (209 W
12th St, Donalsonville GA 39845) on Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 11:00am.
A memorial bench in his honor will be placed in his neighborhood,
across from his home’s front porch view and at the lake’s edge, with this
inscription: To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to EAA (Experimental
Aircraft Association) Aviation Foundation in Bert’s name. An avid attendee of
the EAA’s annual Airventure in Oshkosh, Bert was previously honored there by
his daughters – in a Brown Arch tribute brick, with this message: “In honor of
Capt Bert Kelly: a remarkable pilot, a top-notch flight instructor, and the
best father imaginable. Thank you for giving us wings, and teaching us the
value of what it means to come home.” Please use the following link, or call
888-500-5600, to make a donation to EAA: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/apps/donations/donationform
