James Edward Kelly

TWIN FALLS – James E. Kelly, 71, of Twin Falls passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Boise after a brief and courageous battle with leukemia.

He was born on August 15, 1945 in Columbia, MS, and he was the second child of Jessie and Annie Maud (Goar) Kelly.  Kelly, as he was known to his friends and family, moved with his family to the Chicago area in 1948.  He graduated from Bloom High School in 1963 and then served in the US Army for three years during the Vietnam War.  He was a paratrooper with the 101^st Airborne and attained the rank of Sergeant.

He married Mary L. Rietveld on February 18, 1967, and they shared in the joy of raising a child together, Jennifer.  While in Illinois, Kelly began a life-long career in farming with his father-in-law Cornelius Rietveld.  Eventually both families moved to NW Indiana, which was more conducive to agriculture than the Chicago suburbs, and together they grew various vegetable crops for the processing industry. 

Kelly shared in his father-in-law’s dream to move West, and late in 1983, Kelly and Mary boldly began a new life together in Idaho.  Together with a few other visionaries, they founded Magic Valley Growers in Wendell, ID.  Kelly labored proudly to see this fledgling company become a major nationwide provider of specialty onions and potatoes.

Throughout his years in the South, Midwest and West, Kelly enjoyed the diversity and wonder of nature, and in particular, the sport of fishing.  The last trip he took was doing what he relished the most, deep sea fishing off the coast of Mexico.  A love of his equal to fishing was travel.  Having retired just over 10 years ago, he and Mary were blessed to literally travel the world, having explored over 50 countries on 5 continents.

Kelly is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Mary; their daughter Jennifer (Michael) March of Twin Falls; and one grandchild, Jared March. His older sister, Charlene Swatzell, and his younger brother, Wayne Dale Kelly, preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 2:00 PM at Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home & Crematory of Twin Falls. Those wishing to share condolences may do so at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.  In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made in Kelly’s name to the Twin Falls Animal Shelter.