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Mr. Emmett “Sonny” Kelly, Jr., age 85, of Climax, Georgia passed away on March 7th, 2024. Services for Mr. Kelly will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, March 14, 2024, in the Cadwell Chapel of Cox-Ivey Funeral Home with the Rev. DeWitt Phillips officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Frank Kay, Billy Brown, Matthew Combs, Richard Maxwell, Dustin Cornog and C.J.Staples. Honorary pall bearers will be fire service personnel. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening, March 13, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the chapel.
Mr. Kelly was born on August 6, 1938 in Decatur County to his parents, Emmett Kelly, Sr. and Odessa Clinton Kelly. As an adult Sonny began serving his community as a a volunteer in fire service. He began in
Attapulgus and then moved to Climax where he passed his passion on to all four children and some grandchildren. In 2018, he retired with over 60 years of service to his community as a volunteer firefighter.
Mr. Kelly retired after 40 plus years of work with Engelhard in Attapulgus, Georgia He also spent the majority of this life farming and gardening which he loved very much and was still climbing on his tractor and working in his yard at the time of his death. Emmett loved to fish on St. George Island and hosted many fish fries for his family and friends. He loved to tinker with things. He was a hard worker all of his life.
Emmett is survived by two sons, Jeff Kelly (Marilyn) and Rick Kelly (Christie) all of Climax and Clara Kelly Robinson of Iron City, Georgia as well as his 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He is
survived by his siblings, Jimmie Lou Anderson of Pelham, Judy Vaughn of Congress, Arizona, Catherine Phillips of Bainbridge, Georgia, Lucia Walls (Lanny) of Cumming, Georgia, Tammie Brock (Bobby), Gary
Kelly, Ronnie Kelly , and Donnie Kelly all of Climax.
He was predeceased by his parents, his son, Phillip Kelly, as well as his siblings Danny Kelly, Oscar Kelly, Kay Howell, and Calvin Kelly, and son-in-law, Chad Robinson.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Emmett’s name to the Climax Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 237, Climax, Georgia 39834 where he was one of the founding members.
Online condolences may be made at www.coxiveyfuneralhome.com. Cox-Ivey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.