James Clyde Kelley, age 75, of Bellingham, WA, passed away at his home on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Jim was born on January 7, 1934, in Lansing, Iowa, to Robert and Freda (Kelly) Kelley.

Jim married Gail Groves in 1978 in Bellingham. Jim sold safety equipment for 50 years for Sanderson Safety Co. and Safety Supply Co. He retired in 2002. He worked for the Department of Labor and Industries where he was instrumental in administering the first CPR/Mouth to Mouth resuscitation techniques.

Jim was Past President of the Snohomish Jaycees from 1958-1959. He had many years in Fire Service including Volunteer Firefighter with Snohomish Fire Dist. 4 from 1955-1964; Whatcom County Dist. 15 Firefighter, Fire Chief, and Fire Commissioner from 1967-1996; and Fire Commissioner District #8 from 1996 to the present.

Jims interests included golfing at North Bellingham Golf Course, and he was a tv sports fanatic. Jim was preceded in death by his father, Clyde; mother, Freda; father-in-law, Walter Groves; mother-in-law, June Groves; and sister, Marilyn Powers.

He is survived by his wife, Gail of Bellingham; children, Robert Stanley Kelley (Maureen) of Everett, Lynn Marie Kelley and partner Wendy Boyd of Salt Lake City, Mary Lou (Carl) Diltz of Brier, and Marcia Sue (Ron) Hanson of Arlington; stepchildren, Brenda Suzanne Lee of Bellingham, and Brian Ronald Lee (Rachel) of Bellingham; grandchildren, Jeremy and Kate Kelley, Mara and Brian Hanson, Colin Diltz, Jerico Harris, and Lindsay and Jacob Lee; brother, Robert F. Kelley (Marilyn) of Sumas; and sister, Joyce Reistad of Deer Lodge Montana.

A Memorial Celebration of Jims Life will be held on Wed., Nov. 11, at Moles Greenacres Chapel at 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Whatcom County Fire Dist. 8, 752 Marine Dr., Bellingham, WA 98225.

You may share your thoughts and memories of Jim in the online guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com. Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory - Ferndale