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Obituaries

Obituary for Robert W. Kelso Jr. Robert W. Kelso Jr.
Air Force Veteran Loved Sports, Was Smith's Transfer Retiree

Robert W. Kelso Jr., 78, of 533 Little River Road, died Monday, August 13, 2007 at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville.

He was born August 29, 1928 in Rockbridge County, the son of the late Robert and Vallie Harper Kelso.

Mr. Kelso graduated from Craigsville High School and entered the U.S. Air Force at the age of 18, where he served for three years.

He served in the Pacific Theatre and ended his career in the service in Hawaii. He was then drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals baseball club, but an elbow injury ended his career.

He then attended the University of Virginia, where he was certified in HVAC/Refrigeration.

He retired from Smith's Transfer after 20 years of service as a diesel and refrigeration mechanic.

He loved life and enjoyed playing basketball and baseball and hunting and fishing.

He was a long-time member of the Craigsville Presbyterian Church, where he was the church treasurer and served on the Session.

He is survived by his loving wife of 23 years, Doris Smith Kelso; two sons: Bobby Kelso and his wife, Sandy of Covesville and Michael Kelso and his wife, Diane of Greenwood; two daughters: Ruby Hutchinson and her husband, martin of Afton and Connie Kelso of Crozet; two stepdaughters: Vickie Kirby and her husband, Anthony and Diana Vess, all of Goshen; a stepson, Jason Vess and his wife, Tabitha of Deerfield; a sister, Nancy Minter and her husband, Henry of Goshen; two brothers: John Kelso and his wife, Betty and Lowell Kelso and his wife, Donna, all of Stuarts Draft; eight grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 16, 2007 at the Craigsville Presbyterian Church with the Revs. Jan Owen, John Haney and Sandy and Bruce Kelso officiating. Interment will follow in the Lebanon Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Goshen.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Burke, Bruce Kelso, Donald Splaun, Chris and Lowell Sheets, Dyke Davidson, Dorsey Dill, David Fix, Bobby Quinn and Ronnie Maxwell. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill and Leon Bare, Ted Dickey, Mike Reid, Dallas Burke and Frank Summers.

The family received friends August 15, 2007 at the Craigsville, Sensabaugh & Zimmerman Funeral Home in Craigsville and will at other times at the residence.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Goshen Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 66, Goshen, Virginia 24439 or to the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 11454, Alexandria, Va. 22312.