[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 108 (Monday, July 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            BIRTHDAY WISHES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TRENT KELLY

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2015

  Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, July 10 is a special day to 
me. It marks the day of my first floor speech as a member of the United 
States House of Representatives, and I rise to recognize and celebrate 
two great men who have been influential in my life. They are John 
Forrest Kelly, my oldest son, who was born on this date in 1995, and my 
father, John M. Kelly, who was born on July 9, 1941.
   I rise in recognition and honor of my son, John Forrest Kelly. John 
Forrest, or JFK as we commonly refer to him, was born in Tupelo, 
Mississippi to Sheila Stephens Kelly and me. John Forrest was the first 
grandchild for both his paternal and maternal lines. JFK is an 
extremely smart and articulate man. He graduated from Saltillo High 
School in 2013. During his high school career, he achieved high 
academic success. He was a well-liked and well-rounded student-athlete. 
He played one year of football and started for the Saltillo High School 
Tigers Baseball Team as an outfielder. After high school, he received 
academic scholarships and is currently a business major at the 
University of Mississippi; he is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha 
Fraternity. John Forrest is an extremely bright young man, and I am 
confident of a bright future in whatever career path he chooses. I am 
extremely proud of him and his two siblings Morgan Grace (age 16) and 
Jackson Trent (age 9).
   I rise in remembrance and honor of my father, John M. Kelly. John, 
commonly referred to as Big John, Papa John, Top, 1SG Kelly, or Papaw, 
was born on July 9, 1941 in Newton County, Mississippi to Madison 
Houston Kelly and Ludie Irene Robinson Kelly. The youngest child, his 
parents were small farmers in Newton County, Mississippi. John excelled 
in sports, playing basketball, baseball, and football for both Union 
and Decatur High Schools. He graduated in 1959 from Decatur High 
School. On June 3, 1961, he married Barbara Carolyn Mott Kelly. Married 
for 44 years, Big John and Barbara had three children: Lisa Renee Kelly 
Carley, and two sons, John Trent Kelly and James Kevin Kelly. With 
Barbara and his daughter Lisa by his side, Big John passed away from 
lung cancer on February 7, 2005, while both of his sons were deployed 
to Iraq as members of the 150th Engineer Battalion, 155th Brigade 
Combat Team.
   Big John was a loving and caring father and a great provider for his 
family. John started out on the line in the furniture industry. Through 
hard work and intelligence, he worked his way up to managing furniture 
plants. He was a foreman, supervisor, superintendent and held many 
other leadership positions throughout his life. John always made time 
for family and community, coaching his sons, daughter and others in 
Union, Mississippi little league baseball until they went to high 
school.
   In 1959, he joined the Mississippi Army National Guard until his 
retirement in 2001 at the mandatory retirement age of 60. He served 
with both his sons during his tenure in the National Guard, including 
mobilizing in 1990 for Desert Shield/Storm in the 134th Combat Engineer 
Company, 155th Armored Brigade. During Desert Storm, John was a Staff 
Sergeant and Engineer Squad Leader, I was an Engineer Second Lieutenant 
and Platoon Leader, and Kevin was a Specialist 4 and Engineer Soldier. 
John was First Sergeant for three of the four companies of the 150th 
Combat Engineer Battalion and retired as a Master Sergeant and 
Operations Sergeant in the 150th Engineer Battalion, 155th Heavy 
Brigade Combat Team.
   Big John was always a caring and giving individual and was loved by 
most people who knew him. He was never too busy to help anyone in need. 
I have often said during my life if I am half the man my father was I 
will be a great man. He was a great husband to my wonderful mother, 
Barbara. He was a great inspiration and role model for me and my 
siblings and the best father and grandfather a man could ever ask to 
have.
   Happy Birthday to my son, John Forrest Kelly, and to my father, John 
``Big John'' ``Daddy'' Kelly. I thank and honor them both for being 
such a great influence in my life. I love them both with all my heart 
and soul. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to acknowledge and honor two very 
important men in my life, one with a great past, the other with a 
promising future.

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