Ervin “Buzz” Kelley

Ervin “Buzz” Bailey Kelley
Date Of Birth: 07/18/1945
Date of Death: 09/13/2026

Ervin “Buzz” Kelley July 18th, 1945-September 13th, 2026

Today we are saddened as we say goodbye to our beloved Buzz. Beloved Son, Brother, Husband, Dad, Uncle and friend to SO MANY.
All that knew him understand the guiding light we lost with his passing.
Ervin was born in Garden City, Kansas to George and Ervie Kelley. During his school years he worked with the family in the small town of Leoti Kansas. After high school he attended York University, Nebraska for a year before enlisting in the US Navy at 19.
He had nine weeks of boot camp across the country in San Diego followed by nine months of Radar School in San Francisco. In March of 1966 he was assigned to the USS Jerome County LST848, a tank landing ship. Here along with his fellow crewmen, he spent two tours operating “the boat’s” communication and navigation equipment in Vietnam.
During his deployment his family moved to Lincoln City, Oregon where they proudly owned and operated Barnacle Bill’s Seafood Market. After his discharge on May 4th, 1969, he joined them, but he soon moved to Portland with his older sister Georgia and her husband Michael Graves. There he attended Portland Community College where he met his wife Jeannette Kliese from Lake Oswego, they married May 20th, 1972. Moving to Aloha Oregon they welcomed daughter Patricia (Pumpkin) in January 1974 and son Stacy in August of 1975. In 1977, the family moved permanently to Oak Street in Hillsboro, Oregon. Here they became part of a family neighborhood with lifelong friends and countless memories.
Ervin became the paint “expert” for The Edwards Lumber Company. He was with them through the BMC West name change of the 1990s retiring in 2007. Buzz thoroughly enjoyed helping his clients, but it was obvious his favorite part of the job was meeting new people to share his life stories and generous heart.
After retiring he gained a love for NASCAR, one he shared with his son, taking yearly trips to tracks around the country. He also loved the Buffalo Bills, so Sundays were “game days”. Buzz could always be found helping an Oak Street neighbor or friend with whatever was asked. Yard work, home repairs, transportation or just sage advice; no request was ever too big.
In 2024, as a special thank you for his caring soul and years of military service, Ervin was treated to an Honor Flight to Washington DC. He and Tricia said that it was an experience of a lifetime, one they shared often.
Buzz NEVER said NO to anyone, even as his health slowed his abilities, he always found a way “to Get-R-Done”, it just took longer. We hope that all that were touched by his heart of gold, his “larger than life” stories and his no BS attitude will continue to share Buzz’s way of paying it forward by caring for others.
Ervin’s living legacy includes his wife Jeannette, sister-in-law Pamela Brandeberry, daughter Patricia, son Stacy and his favorites…numerous nieces and nephews that truly LOVED their Uncle Buzz.
Ervin is preceded in death by his parents George and Ervie Kelley, sister Georgia and brother-in-law Michael Graves.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Gung Ho Ministries, a Veterans Service of Beaverton Oregon are appreciated.