I received word today that Gene's sister, Louise Kelly Bailey, has passed away. She died on Friday in Dothan, Alabama, at age 93 and was the last of the Kelly brother and sisters. In the words of her niece, "What a dancing good time they must be having in heaven!" The "Five Kelly's" are shown above - from left to right, Jay, James, Gene, Louise, and Fred.
According to her obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "While Gene -- and younger brother Fred, who became a New York producer -- had more fame, it was Mrs. Bailey who kept the family dance tradition alive in Pittsburgh. For nearly 50 years she ran the dance studio that the Kelly family founded."
3 comments:
How sad, the end of an era. Harriet and James Kelly were remarkable parents, how proud they must have been to see all of their children in successful careers, and now their grandchildren and great grandchildren continue this special family line.
It is almost impossible to believe that a hundred years have passed since the first Kelly child was born. Gene (the middle child)was so way ahead of his time that we think of him as a 'modern' man. We could easily imagine him strolling down the street today in his casual attire, baseball cap on head, straight out of An American In Paris. He would not be at all out of place.
Rest In Peace Gene's sister.
Louise Kelly also had a dance studio in Johnstown, PA
My grandfather was Gene’s 2nd cousin. Gene used to come in the summer to his Aunt Mary Kelly’s house and my grandfather and Gene danced and played together as boys. My mother Patty Rutledge taught at Kelly School of Dance to worked off her ballet and tap lessons. Louise taught my mother ballet and her husband taught my mother tap. There are some other family stories about them as well that I’ve been told. The Kelly’s were wonderful folks.
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