Mr. Thomas P. Kelly of Elgin

Mr. Thomas P. Kelly, 88, of Elgin, Illinois. Tom was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and married his late wife, Shirley, in 1955. They had two children Kathy and Michael. Tom worked for 12 years at US Steel, South Works in the Electrical Division. In 1963 he joined the Chicago Police Department. Though he worked in many districts throughout the city, at some point, he notably served in every rank in the 1st District. In 1971-1972 he was detailed to Northwestern University where he was enrolled at the Traffic Institute, Center for Public Safety. That year he was one of about 5 dozen police officers selected from major US and international cities. They studied in an intensive police staff and command program and he maintained long distance friendships with these officers for many years. Patrolmen, Sargent, Lieutenant, Captain, District Commander and Assistant Deputy Superintendent-Operational Services. A cops cop. During his years of service he received 2 Superintendents Awards of Merit, 2 Unit Meritorious Awards, and 10 Honorable Mentions. He and Shirley lived on the South Side until his retirement. He was a good neighbor, the guy who shoveled half the block’s sidewalks and alley. He volunteered for many years with Kiwanis of Hyde Park and Kiwanis International. In retirement, he and his wife loved traveling throughout the US, seeing sights and visiting their dozens of cousins. They spent their summers in WI where he enjoyed hosting their friends and piloting his pontoon. Tom was a master joke teller with an acute memory for detail. He’d memorize joke books so he’d have a joke for every occasion. Often with a perfect Irish brogue or a Nordic accent, which he picked up from his Swedish father in law. An avid weightlifter since his teens, he continued to stay fit by weightlifting and daily exercise into his early 80’s. Genealogy was his major hobby in retirement. It combined two things he loved. Detailed detective work and connecting and reconnecting to his large extended family. He was a lifelong White Sox fan. The last two years he said he couldn’t keep track of the new players. Though as recently as last year he was still able to recite Sox starting lineups from the 1940’s and 50’s. He was a putterer; a fixer of things. There wasn’t a tool he didn’t have-or have 5 or 10 of! Tom loved spending time with his grandchildren, their spouses and his great grandchildren. They could do no wrong and gave him so much joy. Most importantly, he was an excellent caregiver to Shirley in the last years of her life. Tom lead a full, rich and honorable life. Formidable, but fair. Intelligent, generous, honest and loving. He will be missed. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 6th from 10:30 A.M. till 11:30 A.M. at Morizzo Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2550 West Hassell Road, (Northeast corner of Barrington Road), Hoffman Estates, IL. 60169. Interment to follow at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine. In lieu of flowers donations to St Jude Children's Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated. This Life Tributes page has been created to make it easy for Family and Friends to share memories, photos and videos. For further information please contact the Morizzo Funeral Directors at 847.752.6444. Arrangements entrusted to Morizzo Funeral Home and Cremation Services, at 2550 West Hassell Road, (Northeast corner at Barrington Road), Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60169. For those of you that would have attended services and would like to express your condolences to the family, please click on the link above and you can leave the family a message, with the share a memory link. If you wish to send a Sympathy Card to the Family, please feel free to send it to Morizzo Funeral Home, 2550 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 60169 c/o The Family. We will gladly forward it on.

Mr. Thomas P. Kelly of Elgin

November 27, 1933 - December 30, 2021