Christmas 2014 and Easter 2015 visits with Charlee and Paul O’Reilly and an introduction to The Villages Lifestyle made quite an impression on this gentleman from the icy, snowy winters of the Northeast.  Eighty-degree weather in December, the lower cost of living and plentiful amenities was some of the deciding factors in Ray Kelly’s move from Hackensack, NJ to the Villages in 2015. This return to living in “The South” was a long journey from being born in Orangeburg, South Carolina; reared in Harlem New York; serving military service (Air Force) in Texas; selling business equipment (Bell and Howell) and communication systems (Bell Atlantic) and teaching in New York and New Jersey.

While living in New York he maintained his connection to The South by returning to Orangeburg each summer from ages 5- 13. There he would pick cotton 6 days a week with the goal of picking100 lbs. a day. The pay was $.01 or $.02/lb. That stoop labor resulted in many calluses on his fingers from the cotton briars. He said, “I never quite made my goal but would get as high as 98 or 99 lbs. I’d heard that blowing into a bottle would cause it to rain which meant not having to pick cotton. I tried it, got caught and was punished for trying to influence the weather!” His summer trips ended when Emmet Till was killed in 1955. His mother no longer thought it was safe to send him down South.

Ray attended an all-boys Catholic High School through the 10th grade but transferred to a public school to be where the girls were for his junior and senior years. After the previously rigorous academic training in Catholic Schools, he found the public-school curriculum to be “a piece of cake”. Following high school, he got a job in New York’s “garment district” pushing “Jewish Cadillacs” (large garment racks). Many of the friends he associated with dropped out of school and were engaged in extensive drug usage that led to the death of some of them.  He wanted a different future for himself, so he joined the Air Force. He credits those 4 years in the Air Force as being a turning point in his life. His entire 4 years in the Air Force were spent in Texas – Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX; 12 weeks Technical Training (Supply Officer) in Amarillo, TX and 3.5 years in Wichita Falls, TX. It was while in Wichita Falls, he first learned of Juneteenth and he enrolled in Midwestern University.

Following his discharge from the Air Force, he returned to New York and held various jobs: bank teller, assistant with a library book mobile and then entered the business world. He went from being a Financial Planner selling mutual funds to selling business forms and communications systems.  He sold business equipment with Bell and Howell and communications systems with Bell Atlantic (now Verizon). After more than 30 years in sales, he responded to New York City’s offer of teaching fellowships to earn Master’s Degrees of Education with a commitment to teach for 3 years.  

He completed the program and earned his degree. Ray stated that “teaching in the Bronx was the most difficult 3 years of my life!”  He was teaching 5th grade there when the World Trade Center Towers collapsed in 2001. While there, a student attempted to attack him from the back with a pair of scissors, but another student intervened and prevented it. Needless to say, when his 3-year commitment ended, he gladly left New York and sought teaching certification in New Jersey.

He completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Rutger’s University (night school) and a Master’s in Education from Adelphi University in New York. An additional 30 credits were earned from William Paterson College in New Jersey for his certification in Special Education.

Once certified in Special Education in New Jersey he found a world of difference with fewer students and less behavior problems. He taught 8th grade in Teaneck, NJ during the day and taught GED classes to adults 2 nights per week. He found the students willing to work to earn a reward and the parents supportive of and very much interested in what was happening with their children in the classroom.

In Hackensack, New Jersey, he was the only African American on an Ombudsman Committee set up by the County Freeholders of Bergen County to hear citizen complaints against lawyers to determine if they had any merit. An even more important assignment was on the Budget Committee which had oversight of non-governmental operations in Bergen County.

Looking back on his careers, Ray admits that the business world paid better. However, some of his most satisfying memories are of the students who under his tutelage, came to believe that they could achieve their goals if they believed in themselves and worked through to the end.

When he moved to The Villages, Ray continued his involvement with kids by mentoring male students at Leesburg High School from 2017 – 2019. In 2016 he joined TAAC and the Sophisticated Gents of Florida.   The need continues for mentors for both male and female students and he encourages more TAAC members and Sophisticated Gents to get involved.

Ray looks forward to visits from his son and daughter and has gotten involved with bowling, dancing, learning to play golf and pickleball. He thoroughly enjoyed TAAC’s September Platinum Brunch and wants to know why we don’t do them on a quarterly basis.! It looks like this “gentleman from Up North” is adjusting well to his new community.