Janson Leon Kelly, Sr. (Age 81) of Waldorf, Maryland

Reverend Janson Leon Kelly, Sr.

The Man, The Minister, and The Missionary

Reverend Janson L. Kelly, Sr. proudly stands as the younger son of Bajan parents from Christ Church Parish, Barbados.  Rev. Kelly was preceded in death by his parents, Bernice A. Roach Kelly and Thomas James Kelly Sr. and his brother, Thomas James Kelly Jr.

Rev. Kelly reigns from George Washington High School in Pittsburgh, PA where he was an accomplished musician of the brass section.  After leaving the United States Marine Corps, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of the District of Columbia, Rev. Kelly attended Anderson Ville Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Masters of Arts in Psychology.  He was a certified Pre Marital, Marriage, and Substance Abuse Counselor.

In the early 1990s, God's guidance and direction led Rev. Kelly to Fort Foote Baptist Church, in Fort Washington, Maryland where he remained under the covering of Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Lyles.  Rev. Kelly served in several capacities: Administrative Assistant to Pastor Joseph W. Lyles, International Missions Coordinator to the Caribbean, Singles Ministry Advisor, Chairperson of the Property and Space Committee, and a member of the Christian Education Committee.

After he had retired from the Environmental Protection Agency, God called Rev.  Kelly to "take up his cross and follow" Him.  Thus in 2000, he left the United States and relocate to the island of Jamaica.  He served as a full time Missionary for 16 years channeling his life passion to serve the hungry, sick, homeless, elderly, imprisoned, illiterate and suffering children from the hills of Kingston to the lowlands of Montego Bay.  During these years, Rev. Kelly served as full-time Pastor for the Jamaica International Outreach Ministry in Kingston, Jamaica.  In those 16 years, he led volunteers to meet the needs of the community by installing bathrooms, running water, showers and electricity in homes.  He further met the need of the school for the blind by repainting the residential building, and repainting local churches.

In 2005 Rev. Kelly, decided his life was a little empty and he fell in love with, the Administrative Assistant of the church who assisted him with his missionary duties, Ms. Barbara A. Johnson.  They had a long distance love affair for 14 years.  After 16 years of Missionary service, Rev. Kelly retired from Missions service in Kingston and returned to the USA.   Shortly after he returned to the states, they were married in February 2018.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife and new bride, Barbara Ann Johnson Kelly; six children: Pamela Kelly Grey, Janson L. Kelly Jr. (Doris), James Kelly, Loleysa Kelly, Tamara Kelly Gibson (Nathaniel), and Jonathan Kelly; ten grandchildren;  five great-grandchildren; six step-children: Michelle Johnson, Melvin Johnson (Karen), Rev. William Coates, Cornelius Coates, Wendell Coates, LaRonda Coates Kennerly (Earl), and a host of relatives, devoted friends and colleagues.

Viewing, 10:00 a.m. until time of Service, 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 23, 2020 in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.  Interment, Resurrection Cemetery, 8000 Woodyard Road, Clinton, Maryland 20735.