IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Wesley Noel
Kelley
October 13, 1926 – October 6, 2009
Obituary
Wesley N. Buck Kelley died Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at Avera-McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Memorial services will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, October 9, 2009, at the Brookings United Church of Christ, with interment at 4:00 P.M. Friday at Bluff View Cemetery at Vermillion, South Dakota. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Brookings United Church of Christ or the American Heart Association. Eidsness Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Wesley Noel Buck Kelley was born October 13, 1926, at St. Lawrence, South Dakota, to Samuel I. and Gwen G. (Noel) Kelley. He attended St. Lawrence Public School and graduated in the class of 1944. He served as an instructor in the U.S. Army Field Artillery until his discharge in 1946. He received his B.A. degree from the University of South Dakota in 1951. He worked in the State Chemical Laboratory for 32 years, starting as a feed chemist. He then developed the dairy testing laboratory. In 1984 the Chemical Laboratory was divided between Pierre and Brookings, at which time he established the State Dairy Laboratory in the Dairy Science Department of South Dakota State University.
During his 39 years of state service, Buck developed two dairy testing methodologies and served as an Associate Referee for the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. He served 15 years as a member of the Laboratory Committee for the International Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments. At his retirement, he was honored by Governor George Mickelson proclaiming December 19, 1991, as Buck Kelley Day.
Buck was a charter member of the Brookings United Church of Christ, and served as treasurer for six years. He was also a member of the Brookings Lions Club and the American Legion Post in Brookings.
On June 9, 1951, Buck married Lola Jenkins at Dakota City, Nebraska. She died July 6, 1990. He was also preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister. He is survived by three stepchildren: Loretta Dunbar of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Bonnie Kersten of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Dr. Terry Jenkins of Laramie, Wyoming; 11 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Wesley Noel Buck Kelley was born October 13, 1926, at St. Lawrence, South Dakota, to Samuel I. and Gwen G. (Noel) Kelley. He attended St. Lawrence Public School and graduated in the class of 1944. He served as an instructor in the U.S. Army Field Artillery until his discharge in 1946. He received his B.A. degree from the University of South Dakota in 1951. He worked in the State Chemical Laboratory for 32 years, starting as a feed chemist. He then developed the dairy testing laboratory. In 1984 the Chemical Laboratory was divided between Pierre and Brookings, at which time he established the State Dairy Laboratory in the Dairy Science Department of South Dakota State University.
During his 39 years of state service, Buck developed two dairy testing methodologies and served as an Associate Referee for the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. He served 15 years as a member of the Laboratory Committee for the International Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments. At his retirement, he was honored by Governor George Mickelson proclaiming December 19, 1991, as Buck Kelley Day.
Buck was a charter member of the Brookings United Church of Christ, and served as treasurer for six years. He was also a member of the Brookings Lions Club and the American Legion Post in Brookings.
On June 9, 1951, Buck married Lola Jenkins at Dakota City, Nebraska. She died July 6, 1990. He was also preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister. He is survived by three stepchildren: Loretta Dunbar of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Bonnie Kersten of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Dr. Terry Jenkins of Laramie, Wyoming; 11 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wesley Noel Kelley, please visit our flower store.
Wesley Noel Kelley's Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors