Mystic Aquarium

Mystic Aquarium and the Sea Research Foundation community mourn the loss of Mystic Aquarium’s founding president, Bill Kelley, who died on February 8 at the Verde Valley Medical Center near his home in Cottonwood, Ariz. He was 93.

Bill was a remarkably accomplished person who was fascinated by the earth, the stars and the oceans, making significant contributions in diverse fields and to numerous organizations as founder and director, and to the scientific community as an innovator, inventor and adventurer.

William “Bill” Kelley was born July 13, 1917 in Elyria, Ohio and graduated from Elyria High School in 1936. He served as an interpreter in Italian and French during World War II with the Army’s 57^th Signal Battalion in North Africa, Italy, France, Germany and Austria, and in combat and campaigns in Naples, Foggia, Rome, Arno, Southern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. His decorations and citations include European, African and Middle Eastern service medals with five Bronze Stars and one Bronze Arrowhead.

As a child, Bill Kelley built crystal radio sets. In 1947 he received his Amateur Radio Operator License: W 8 A E (William 8 Adam and Eve). He pursued his hobby of astronomy from age 10, building his own telescope from salvaged parts in Elyria.  He authored several articles on astronomy which appeared in Sky & Telescope and other publications. He was a member of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society in Utah for many years enjoying the meetings as well as public and private star parties.  He gave presentations on telescope making at the Riverside Telescope Makers Convention in California.

Kelley was a member of the Astronomers of Verde Valley in Arizona where he participated in meetings and star parties for the public.  He taught numerous classes on telescope making over the years. He continued to build telescopes until three years ago.  His most recent creation was the OmniScope which could be used as a telescope, microscope and for viewing in between those ranges. Mystic Aquarium has been planning an exhibit featuring the OmniScope that will now open in the spring as a tribute to Mr. Kelley.

A marine biologist who wrote several technical papers, Bill Kelley served as first director of the Cleveland Aquarium from 1954 to 1964.  During that time he was also Associate Director of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History where he secured funding for the Ralph Mueller Planetarium.  He became a Fellow of the Gemological Association of Great Britain in order to work with the extensive gem collection at the museum.

He was the developer of artificial sea water which became known as “Instant Ocean.” a product still used in public aquariums, university laboratories and home aquariums. In 1964 he founded and was President of Aquarium Systems which sold “Instant Ocean.”  He was founding President of Niagara Falls Aquarium in 1965. While there he led an expedition up the Amazon River to collect dolphins for the aquarium.

In 1973 he became founding President of Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut and was Trustee Emeritus until his passing. During that time he served on the Board and as Chairman of the Eastern Connecticut State University Foundation.

He was a member and past officer of the Mingus Gem and Mineral Society in Arizona.  As a member he identified gemstones at no charge as part of the March Mingus Gem and Mineral Show each year from 1995 to 2010. He was Founder and President of Opals, Inc. which had opal mining interests in Virgin Valley, Nevada, from 1968 to 1972. He devised a system to keep the opals from crazing and cracking.  This mine produced the famed Royal Peacock opal.

He was described by many as a true renaissance man.  Ever the scientist, he was fascinated by the whole universe. His interest in gems and minerals took in the earth.  His interest in marine life took in the oceans and his interest in astronomy took in the sky. Bill clung to life and lived it fully for his 93 years.  He always had a zest for life and never let his mind stop coming up with new ideas.  He was a man of many talents who not only had an interest in marine biology, gemstones and astronomy, but also music (he began playing the organ at age 91), tennis, skiing, food (there is a notebook with his recipes), wine (he was well known for his identification of wine in blind tastings and he hosted many wine dinners), coffee, chocolate and making friends.  He had a winning smile and a great curiosity.  He was always a teacher.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Lois, brother Carl Kelley of Ohio, sister Jean Klembeck of California and several nieces and nephews including Tom Kelley, James (Adrienne), Paul Klembeck, Judith (Michael) Simon, Richard (Dianne) Brunenschenkel and Cary (Steve) Droze.  He was predeceased by his first wife Ruth (Hollis), sister Edith and brother James (Dorothy).

A Memorial Service will be held at the Mountain View United Methodist Church, 901 South 12^th Street, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 at 2:00 pm on February 26, 2011, followed by a Celebration of Life with refreshments at the church’s reception hall.

Arrangements for burial with Honors to be held at the Prescott National Cemetery, 500 Highway 89 North, Prescott, AZ 86313 on Monday February 28th at 2:00 pm were made by Bueler’s Funeral Home, Cottonwood, AZ.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations payable to the Sea Research Foundation, 55 Coogan Blvd, Mystic, CT 06355