John V. Kelly
Encyclopedia
John Vincent Kelly, Sr. was an American
Republican Party
politician who served as Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey
and served nine terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
, before losing two electoral bids to win a seat in the New Jersey Senate
.
on July 11, 1926, to an Irish father and an Italian mother. There he attended St. Nicholas Grammar School and St. Peter's Preparatory School
. He served in the United States Army
during World War II
as a demolitions expert in the Philippines
. After completing his military service, he earned a degree in accounting and finance from Saint Peter's College in 1951. While in college during the day, he worked at night at the Erie Railroad
docks and for the Railway Express Agency
.
He worked as an accountant for the firm of Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell (now part of KPMG
), where one of his responsibilities was auditing Nutley Savings and Loan. He was hired in 1962, became comptroller and a board member the following year and executive vice president in 1971. He was named president and chairman after the death of John Dolan. Under his leadership, the savings and loan was ranked 13th among the 200 S&Ls statewide, with 22,000 customers and $212 million in assets, grown from the $60 million at the start if his tenure.
candidate Steve Adubato
, though Kelly would take the seat back in 1985. In the Assembly, Kelly sponsored legislation in 1991 that established the first law in the state requiring children under 14 to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, scooter or skateboard. In 1997, he sponsored legislation to set standards to license hospice programs. Other legislation among the 143 bills he authored that were signed into law include a bill requiring that all state insurance companies provide coverage for mammograms and pap smear
s.
In May 1988, Kelly was elected mayor of Nutley, with the 6,179 cast for him the most ever received by a commission candidate in that community.
Choosing to run for the New Jersey Senate in 2001, he left the Assembly to challenge incumbent Democrat Garry Furnari
, losing a close race in a district that encompassed significant portions of Southern Bergen County, New Jersey
. That year, he lost by a 52–48% margin. The seat was considered one of the few statewide that could have been a pickup for the Democrats.
In 2003, he challenged Furnari's successor Paul Sarlo
of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
, who was elected to replace him in the Assembly in 2001 and who also outspent Kelly by a nearly three-to-one margin in a pivotal race at a time when the Senate was evenly split between the two major parties and a change in party for any one seat could tip control of the upper house. Democrats won full control of the Senate, and Kelly fell short, by a margin of 53–44%.
A longtime fixture at Nutley's St. Patrick's Day festivities, Kelly would wear a bright green suit that had been custom-made for him. He also played a pivotal role in creating that community's Columbus Day
parade.
As president of Nutley Savings Bank, Kelly was known for going out of his way to find a justification to fund a mortgage for a prospective customer and was likened to Jimmy Stewart's character George Bailey
in the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life
.
in Belleville, New Jersey
He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, as well as by two daughters, two sons and 11 grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician who served as Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey
Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey
Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey:*Joanne Cocchiola 2010 to present.*Garry Furnari 1996 to 2003.*Carmen A. Orechio 1992 to 1996.*John Vincent Kelly, Sr. 1988 to 1992.*Carmen A. Orechio 1980 to 1984....
and served nine terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, before losing two electoral bids to win a seat in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
.
Early life and education
Kelly was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
on July 11, 1926, to an Irish father and an Italian mother. There he attended St. Nicholas Grammar School and St. Peter's Preparatory School
St. Peter's Preparatory School
Saint Peter's Preparatory School is a private all-male Jesuit college-preparatory school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a demolitions expert in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. After completing his military service, he earned a degree in accounting and finance from Saint Peter's College in 1951. While in college during the day, he worked at night at the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
docks and for the Railway Express Agency
Railway Express Agency
The Railway Express Agency was a the national monopoly set up by the Untied States federal government in 1917. Rail express services provided small package and parcel transportation using the extant railroad infrastructure much as UPS functions today using the road system...
.
He worked as an accountant for the firm of Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell (now part of KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
), where one of his responsibilities was auditing Nutley Savings and Loan. He was hired in 1962, became comptroller and a board member the following year and executive vice president in 1971. He was named president and chairman after the death of John Dolan. Under his leadership, the savings and loan was ranked 13th among the 200 S&Ls statewide, with 22,000 customers and $212 million in assets, grown from the $60 million at the start if his tenure.
Political career
He first won a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1981. He was unseated two years later by 26-year-old Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate Steve Adubato
Steve Adubato
Steve Adubato, Ph.D., has enjoyed a distinguished career as a broadcaster, author and motivational speaker. A university lecturer, Emmy Award-winning television anchor, and Star-Ledger columnist, Steve also served in the mid 1980s as New Jersey's youngest state legislator at age 26.Steve currently...
, though Kelly would take the seat back in 1985. In the Assembly, Kelly sponsored legislation in 1991 that established the first law in the state requiring children under 14 to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, scooter or skateboard. In 1997, he sponsored legislation to set standards to license hospice programs. Other legislation among the 143 bills he authored that were signed into law include a bill requiring that all state insurance companies provide coverage for mammograms and pap smear
Pap smear
The Papanicolaou test is a screening test used in to detect pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the endocervical canal of the female reproductive system. Changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer...
s.
In May 1988, Kelly was elected mayor of Nutley, with the 6,179 cast for him the most ever received by a commission candidate in that community.
Choosing to run for the New Jersey Senate in 2001, he left the Assembly to challenge incumbent Democrat Garry Furnari
Garry Furnari
Garry J. Furnari is an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1998 to 2003, where he represented the 36th Legislative District....
, losing a close race in a district that encompassed significant portions of Southern Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
. That year, he lost by a 52–48% margin. The seat was considered one of the few statewide that could have been a pickup for the Democrats.
In 2003, he challenged Furnari's successor Paul Sarlo
Paul Sarlo
Paul A. Sarlo is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District...
of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,626.Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of...
, who was elected to replace him in the Assembly in 2001 and who also outspent Kelly by a nearly three-to-one margin in a pivotal race at a time when the Senate was evenly split between the two major parties and a change in party for any one seat could tip control of the upper house. Democrats won full control of the Senate, and Kelly fell short, by a margin of 53–44%.
A longtime fixture at Nutley's St. Patrick's Day festivities, Kelly would wear a bright green suit that had been custom-made for him. He also played a pivotal role in creating that community's Columbus Day
Columbus Day
Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
parade.
As president of Nutley Savings Bank, Kelly was known for going out of his way to find a justification to fund a mortgage for a prospective customer and was likened to Jimmy Stewart's character George Bailey
George Bailey (fictional character)
George Bailey is a fictional character and the main protagonist in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. He is played by James Stewart. He is loosely based on George Pratt, a character in Philip Van Doren Stern's The Greatest Gift....
in the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
.
Death
Kelly died at age 83 on October 30, 2009, in what was described as "a most peaceful manner" at Clara Maass Medical CenterClara Maass Medical Center
Clara Maass Medical Center is a hospital in Belleville, New Jersey that is part of the Barnabas Health. It was founded in 1868 as the Newark German Hospital, and was renamed in 1952 in honor of Clara Maass, a former nurse who trained there at the hospital's Christina Trefz Training School for...
in Belleville, New Jersey
Belleville, New Jersey
Belleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, as well as by two daughters, two sons and 11 grandchildren.