ALLAGASH – With his wife and family members by his side, Niles G. Kelly, 62, gladly embraced the Lord Jesus Christ’s call to leave this earthly life Tuesday, June 14, 2011. He was born April 14, 1949, at home, to Joseph and Nellie Kelly of Allagash.
Niles grew up and remained in Allagash for his entire life. He began working with his father in the woods, cutting pulp when he was 16 and continued in the logging industry with his own skidder from 1973 to 1986. At that time he and his brother, Leighton, set up a sawmill and planer where they produced finished cedar products until 2010. Niles was noted for his quick wit, his entertaining sense of humor, his independent thinking style, and as well as, he was renowned as being a jack-of-all-trades. To put it in his own words whether it was a piece of machinery, a certain tool, a broken water pipe, a child’s toy or anything in any category, “I got a second life out of it, so we won’t have to replace it.” As he adamantly told a hospital worker two days prior to the Lord calling him home,
“I built that home for my family with these two hands – with both palms raised off the bed – and nobody is going to take it away from my wife and son.” He lovingly and patiently pounded every nail into finished lumber he had rough-sawed and finished at his mill, wired every room, plumbed every area, and maintained every square inch of the home that he built for his family. Much of his home was decorated with his meticulous paintings and charcoal artwork, as well as woodworking designs done by those same hands. As an amateur artist, nature was his greatest teacher, which was obvious once someone entered his humble home. He was also an avid flower and vegetable gardener, and always had plenty of vegetables to give to others. As for his flower gardens, many used them as a backdrop for graduation and family pictures. Needless to say, Niles was well respected and loved not only by his community, but by many from afar. He will be greatly missed by all, but especially by his family to whom he lovingly devoted all his talents and resources.
Niles is survived by his wife, Regina; his son, Lance; three granddaughters, Taylor Jo, Christian and McKenzie; three grandsons, Dillon, Ethan and Tylor; two older brothers, Gerald and Leighton; four older sisters, Florence, Geraldine, Crete and Lynn; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his older son, Ryan; his younger brother, Mark; and two older sisters, Minnie and Gladys.
Calling hours are 4-8 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Allagash Baptist Church, Allagash. The funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Monday at the Baptist church. Arrangements are a service of Daigle Funeral Home, Fort Kent.