Shawn C. Kelly

Shawn C. Kelly, 50, of Karns City, a well-known, highly respected Karns City High School guidance counselor, went to be with the Lord Friday evening, October 23, 2020 following a courageous battle with crohn’s disease.

Shawn was born in Madison, NJ on September 2, 1970.  He was the son of Dennis C. and Janice E. Beeman Kelly of Karns City.

He was a 1989 graduate of Karns City Area High School.  He earned a B.A. from Clarion University, where he was a member of TKE fraternity.  He then earned a Master’s Degree in counseling and his guidance counselor certificate from Slippery Rock University.

Shawn was first employed by Clarion County Drug and Alcohol and later was employed as an elementary guidance counselor at the Keystone School District in Knox.  For the past 12 years, Shawn has been the high school guidance counselor at the Karns City Area High School where he was much beloved by the district’s parents, students, and staff.

He was a longtime active member of the Petrolia Evangelical Presbyterian Church where he was an occasional lay speaker.

Shawn earned an online minister’s license and enjoyed officiating at weddings.  He loved riding his Harley Davidson and was a long time and proud member of the American Legion Riders.  He was an avid horse rider and was a member of The Misfits Saddle Club.  He most especially enjoyed trail riding with his son and dad in Marienville.  Shawn also enjoyed hunting, kayaking, snowmobiling, and traveling with family and friends.  He was an unabashed political conservative and enjoyed talking politics.

In addition to his parents, Shawn is survived by his wife, Rachel J. Bayer Kelly, whom he married on April 12, 1997 in Butler.  Also surviving is a son, Brenden S. Kelly, at home; his sister, Kimberly A. Kelly Soley and her husband, Stephen, of Renfrew; his nieces and nephews, Liam C., Aidan A., Ava E., and Olivia G. Soley, all of Renfrew; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Richard and Cindy Bayer of Butler; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gretchen and Drew Hay of Butler, Patrick and Erin Bayer of Chicora, Victoria and Bryan Birckbichler of Butler; and nieces and nephews, Niven and Madeline Hay of Butler, Ian and Ella Bayer of Chicora, and Landon Birckbichler of Butler, as well as a number of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Shawn was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents, and his uncle, Gary Kelly.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Rd., Chicora (NOT KC) from 4 – 7 Saturday and from Noon – 3 and 6 – 9 p.m. Sunday.  A funeral service will be held from the funeral home at 11:00 a.m. Monday with the Rev. David Perry, pastor of the Petrolia Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Rev. Joseph Olkowski, pastor of the Zion Church of Petroleum Valley, co-officiating.  Under escort by the American Legion Riders, interment will take place in Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.  Memorial contributions may be made in Shawn’s memory to the Cleveland Clinic at my.clevelandclinic.org/giving or the Shawn Kelly Memorial Fund, c/o Huntington Bank, PO Box 291, Chicora, PA 16025.  Online condolences may be sent by visiting.www.hilefh.com.

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