Bobby Kelly was a gentle spirit within a caustic case. A word surgeon with a gift for improvised gut-punch zingers. An irreverent ex-altar boy, too. He was an artist, copy editor, B-movie encyclopedia, and—according to many—the funniest person you’d ever meet.
Robert James Kelly was Brooklyn-born along with his twin, Frankie. They grew up in Cooper Park Houses along the Williamsburg/Greenpoint border. Saturday matinees at the neighborhood movie houses ignited his lifelong love of movies, from
The Monster That Challenged the World to
The Ten Commandments. A bit later, he saw that the Catholic Church had rated
And God Created Woman with a giant C for Condemned. He knew which side he was on, and Brigitte Bardot became his actress/icon.
After graduating from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, he attended The Cooper Union, where he studied art with many inspiring teachers, including Diane Arbus. He went on to create striking drawings, paintings, embroideries, and eventually collage boxes. His odes ranged from droll to sacrilegious to sexy to disturbing.
After his schooling, Bobby worked in art prep and layout before settling into his career as a copy editor. Neither a stick-in-the-mud language nag nor a frustrated editor/writer, Bobby was simply your go-to, best bet when you had text to be polished. His style was accurate, clean, and elegant. He improved content at Appleton-Century-Crofts, Ideal Publishing, Curriculum Concepts Inc., Macmillan Publishing, Scholastic Inc., Holt, Rinehart & Winston,
Child Magazine, and Triumph Learning.
Wherever he worked, Bobby proved the value of playing hard to get. His natural reticence only made him more lovable. His work ethic was strong, yet he never took things too seriously. His spontaneous humor livened up every team he was on. Editors sometimes saved his flags, where he often added a quip with a query.
Now about that wit: If you knew Bobby, you might want to praise his sly wit. Don’t do it. He hated the word
sly. “Wit is wit,” he’d explain, red pencil in hand. “
Sly doesn’t add anything.” Empty verbiage didn’t stand a chance around him.
There’s no point trying to reproduce his deadpan tone and rapid comebacks here, but chances are good that if you’re reading this, you knew Bobby and can remember them. Please think back to some of the times he made you laugh, and then think about how many of those times there were.
He met Bruce Goldstone in 1984 and they moved in together two years later. They shared homes in Greenwich Village, in Hastings-on-Hudson, and for 29 years in Chelsea. They raised 3.5 dogs: Cash, Aggie, Mimo, and Jasper (Mimo couldn’t hack NYC, so found calmer fields in Vermont.)
Bobby loved animals so, so much. In addition to the dogs, he cared for several cats, many parakeets, fish, snails, and a turtle. He was also an inclusive gardener, making room in his realm for weeds along with roses and sparrows. The resulting mix was always more beautiful for Bobby’s open-heartedness.
When his nieces Amelia, Claire, Eleanor, and Melanie came along, he welcomed them as new friends. He never filtered his thoughts or words, so why start with kids? Like everyone else, they were drawn to his cheeky good cheer.
Bobby leaves behind his husband Bruce Goldstone, in-laws Ann and Stona Fitch, Rob Goldstone and Katy Börner; and nieces Amelia and Claire Fitch, and Melanie and Eleanor Börner-Goldstone.
He was a great guy to have around.
*****
A memorial service will be held on June 10th at 2:30 pm at The Center, 208 West 13th Street, Room 101. Everyone is welcome to come share memories or thoughts of Bobby.
In lieu of gifts, please consider making a donation to
PETA,
Animal Welfare Institute,
Wildlife in Crisis,
Grey 2K USA or an animal protection organization of your choice.
