09/26/2025
Milton Kelly
FISHER, IL – Milton Dow Kelly, 76, of Fisher, IL passed away unexpectedly on the evening of September 22, 2025.
Milt was born in Champaign, IL, son of the late Floyd and Iva Kelly and younger brother of Mike. He lived in Fisher nearly his whole life, initially with his parents on S. Second Street and eventually on Randolph St., where he resided for 50 years. He graduated from Fisher High School and went on to receive his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music at the University of Illinois where he played the trumpet in multiple student groups.
Music was a central part of Milt’s professional and family life. After starting his career in music education in the Armstrong, IL school district, he returned home to Fisher to lead the music program. He directed every student band in the district as well as the high school vocal ensembles. Under his leadership, these programs thrived, regularly among the top 5 music programs of comparable size in the state. But those accolades are not what made him love his work in the Fisher district. His students and colleagues mattered most. During his more than 25 years in the district, Milt shaped the lives of countless students, and he treasured those relationships deeply.
Along the way, he was a member of The Powell Family, a local musical group that performed traditional and contemporary Christian music. At home, the sound of the piano and the trumpet was common, whether Milt was composing new music, teaching private lessons, or simply making a beautiful sound.
Milt also coached baseball for several decades. He was deeply involved in the local Little League. For many years he organized weekend pick-up baseball games during the summer for local kids. He taught at baseball camps, helping young players learn the fundamentals of the sport. He was a leader in the effort to start the baseball program at Fisher High School in the 1990s and was the head coach for over 20 years. He also coached the golf team for several years. Even after “retiring” from his full-time position at Fisher, he kept coaching and was a fixture as a substitute teacher until his death.
In addition to coaching, Milt was a true sports fan, especially of the St. Louis Cardinals and the University of Illinois. He also liked the Bears. He enjoyed attending Illinois basketball games. Football games too sometimes. And he was always looking for the next opportunity to get down to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals. The joy of watching a great team or the disappointment of watching his team underperform certainly influenced his mood over the course of a season. Milt loved good food: he treasured gathering the family for meals at home or a restaurant, could usually find room for one more piece of pie, and always found a reason to buy one more slice of fudge. He tried to play golf at least once a month all year round and usually succeeded. After years of playing, he finally achieved a hole in one this year. When asked if the feat was witnessed, he responded, “God and I saw it.”
Milt also worked tirelessly for the Village of Fisher, a place he loved dearly. He sought to bring people together to help the town. He often held strong opinions and was willing to take a stand for what he believed, but he was also always ready to listen and attempt to build consensus. Even in disagreement he respected those from every point of view. Milt sacrificed a great deal over the years to build the local community, serving multiple terms as a member of the Village Board as well as two stints as Mayor of Fisher totaling nearly two decades.
At the heart of Milt’s work and service was a deep Christian faith and a love for his family. Milt was connected to a variety of churches over the years. He grew up at Westside Church in Champaign. He helped form Fisher Community Church. He attended CU church. He served as a pastor and a worship leader. He led numerous Bible studies. He was a spiritual mentor for too many to name. He took his faith seriously and lived with integrity. His Bible is well-worn and annotated, full of DETAILS. He prayed for dozens of families every morning, and regularly walked the town of Fisher, asking for God’s blessing on each and every home. Anyone who knew Milt well at all knew that he loved Jesus and tried his best to love others the way Jesus does. He believed that the best way to tell people about the Christian faith is to show people what it looks like. He lived by example, and his life produced an abundance of fruit in uncountable lives.
Milt is survived by his wife Connie, his sons and their wives Ben and Nicole, Jon and Carolyn, and Nate and Jana, his grandchildren Arwen, Simon, Iva, Rosalyn, and Brynn, his brother Mike, and his nieces Julie and Lori. Nothing brought Milt more joy than getting the whole family together. He cared deeply for his wife. He loved watching his grandkids’ events. He would do almost anything for those he loved, both inside and outside the immediate family. He never complained (too much) about being the butt of practical jokes. He always wanted the biggest Christmas tree possible even if might slightly exceed the ceiling height. He always made time to spend with his boys when they were young and savored time talking to them as they grew older, sharing his wisdom yet also being willing to grow and change. His family knew that they were deeply loved by Milt, and he knew he was dearly loved by them.
A graveside service for close friends and family will be held Friday, October 3 at 11 am at Willow Brook Cemetery in Fisher, Il. A celebration of life, open to all, is scheduled for 3 pm Saturday, October 4 at the Fisher High School gymnasium. Legacywho wish to honor Milt’s legacy can contribute to the Milt Kelly Memorial Fund at the Fisher National Bank. Donated funds will be used to support Fisher Schools in a manner consistent with his life’s work.
Arrangements have been made at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center’s Lux Chapel 1551 E. Grove Ave. Rantoul, Il. 61866.
Please join Milton’s family in sharing memories, photos and videos on his tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.
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