Great Plains Annual Conference | Aug. 10, 2026
Major Gen. Orris Kelly, 100; retired clergy. Born July 28, 1926; died July 31, 2026.
Major General Orris Kelly (Courtesy Photo)
After graduating from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and being ordained in 1953, Kelly served in many units including the 8th Cavalry Regiment in Japan, the Seventh Infantry Division in Korea and as Division Chaplain of the Fourth Infantry Division in Vietnam. He served on the staff and faculty of the US Army Chaplain School, Director of the Armed Forces Retreat Center in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and Office to the Chief of Chaplains. In 1975 he was nominated to be Chief of Chaplains by President Ford, approved by the Senate, and promoted from Colonel to Major General.
After retirement he served as Associate General Secretary for the Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. The Division of Chaplains was tasked to endorse clergy to serve in hospitals, prisons, industry, and the military. In 1985 he was selected to be Vice President for Pastoral Services for the Hospital Corporation of America, a 476-hospital corporation in Nashville, Tenn, He left that position in 1987 to return to Kansas to round out his career to serve churches until retirement from the United Methodist Church in 1989.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte Scott Kelly; daughters, Karen Brudvig and Collette Palmisano; nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Manhattan First UMC, with burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial contributions i to the First United Methodist Church, Meadowlark Hills Foundation-Good Samaritan Fund, US Army War College, Garrett Theological Seminary, UM Higher Education Foundation, US Military Chaplains Association, or to Kansas Wesleyan University.