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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Norman "Norm" V. Kelly of Peoria, who
4passed away on August 4, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly was born to Orris and Lillian (Ryan)
6Kelly in Peoria on April 24, 1932; he graduated from Woodruff
7High School in 1950; he served in the Korean War as a Staff
8Sergeant in a medical unit; after the war, he attended Bradley
9University and graduated in 1958; he married Gloria Keith in
10Peoria on September 23, 1961; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly worked as a private investigator and
12as a paralegal; he was a well known radio personality who
13appeared on all of the local talk shows in Peoria as well as
14several T.V. shows; he was a frequent speaker at service clubs
15and luncheons; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly was an accomplished writer who had
17written ten books about the history of Peoria, mostly focusing
18on the bawdy, seedy, and dangerous elements of Peoria's long
19history from 1845 through 1950; he also wrote the book Officer
20Down, which chronicled the death of officers that had died in
21the line of duty in Peoria; Genisis: The Park Murders was his
22penultimate book, which sold out the first two printings; his

 

 

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1last book was False Face; he was a member of the prestigious
2Mystery Writers of America for many years; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly also wrote close to 300 short stories,
4including mystery, fiction, and adventure pieces; he wrote
5hundreds of articles about Peoria and wrote for NEWS and VIEWS
6and stories for The Times Observer, Arts and Society, Journal
7Star, and Downstate Story; he had stories printed in multiple
8newspapers, America's Most Wanted, dozens of newsletters, and
9Central Illinois Business Publishers; he wrote the play The
10Case of the Missing Manuscript for the Peoria Library; this
11play was shown on local TV and starred local celebrities; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly discovered that PFC Zimmerman, the
13first soldier with ties to Peoria to die in the Korean War, was
14not on the Korean Monument in Peoria; PFC Zimmerman was added
15to the monument after this discovery; he wrote stories of five
16officers that had died in the line of duty but were never
17honored, and their names are now on all three police memorials
18in Illinois and in Washington, D.C.; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly was selected as a Distinguished Alumni
20of Woodruff High School in 2006; he was awarded the Landin
21Award from the Peoria Park District and two distinguished
22service awards from the Peoria and State Police Departments;
23he represented the United States as the U.S. Clue Champion in

 

 

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11986 in New York City; he gave $12,000 to local non-profit
2organizations in Peoria over the years; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly was preceded in death by his parents
4and his eight siblings; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Norm Kelly is survived by his wife; his daughter,
6Lynne Renee (Paul) Schelly; his son, Keith (Angie) Kelly; his
7grandchildren, Brooke (Chris) Galvan and Sam Schelly; his
8sister, Sara Shatto; his brother, David (Debbie) Kelly; and
9his several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12Norman "Norm" V. Kelly and extend our sincere condolences to
13his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Norm Kelly as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.