Roy John Kelsey

Rev. Roy John Kelsey went home to be his Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

Roy was born in Little Washington, PA, October 15, 1930.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Josephine (Joey); daughters, Debbie Ravine (Rick), Beth Hunt (Richard), Charlotte Rowe and son, Jay Kelsey (Brenda); nine grandchildren, Erika Hindel (Eric), Tabitha Porrini (Joel), Renae Origlio (Derek), Amber Campbell (Scott), Joshua Hunt (Rachel), Benjamin Hunt (Nicole), Blaine Kelsey (Marissa), Laura Kelsey, Alex Rowe (Taylor); and 19 great-grandchildren. He also has one living sister, Pauline Wynne, of Malvern, Ohio.

Roy was preceded in death by his mother, Edna Kelsey, who was a school teacher in Augusta and Minerva, Ohio for over 50 years, retiring at the age of 72. She taught Sunday School in Minerva Methodist Church. She died at the age of 104. His dad, Paul R. Kelsey, owned a grocery store in Pennsylvania and later worked at Republic steel in Canton, Ohio until he died. His sister, May Friend (Dewight), and brothers, Byron, Blaine and Bart Kelsey and granddaughter, Gabbi Ravine, who welcomed grandpa into heaven (Love ya Buddy).

When Roy was 18, he enlisted in the US Air Force. Shortly after enlisting he was told he would be going to Korea, and when he asked where Korea was, they told him he would find out tomorrow. He served the next 18 months in the Korean War and returned home in 1952. After returning home, and through the years, people would thank him for his service. He said it made him feel guilty because he didn't want to be there in the first place.

In 1953 he came to church with his mom and this is where he first saw Joey. He asked his mom who she was, his mother didn't know Joey's name, but knew her parents, Bert and Dolly Russell. Before church started, he came over and said to Joey, "why don't you give me a break and go out with me?" To which she replied because you never asked. He called the next day and asked her out, and they had their first date on Friday, February 13, 1953. He picked her up and as they were going out the driveway, he said to her "will you marry me?" She told him she didn't even know him, and she needed to learn something about him. He told her to ask what she wanted to know. She asked him if he was saved, to which he replied many times and started telling her stories of being in the war. She told him that is not what she meant and did he ever accept Christ as his personal savior. He told her no he wasn't interested in religious stuff. She decided he was not the one for her. When he took her home, he asked if she was interested in going out again. She told him no because he was not a Christian. He called her the next day and said will you go out with me again if I go to church with you, and she agreed. Roy and Joey continued dating every day and every day he would ask her to marry him and she continued to say no. Until July 23, 1953, they attended a church service and the pastor gave an invitation for people to come forward to accept Christ. It was on that day that Roy made the decision to accept Christ and become a Christian.

Over the next few weeks Roy became so interested in studying the Bible with Joey's brother, Bill, he forgot to ask Joey to marry him. Then about 2 weeks later they were at a church picnic and he said, "I have been so focused on learning about Christ, I forgot about asking you to marry me, will you marry me?" Without hesitation Joey said yes, and Roy asked her what changed. She told him it was because he became a Christian.

They were married on November 7, 1953 and soon after Roy began his studies at Milwaukee Bible College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He also attended Ashland Theological Seminary and Malone University. He began his work as a Pastor in 1956 and pastored eight churches over the next 66 years. He was pastor in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Ashtabula, Braceville, Burbank, Canaan, Canton, and Rootstown, Ohio. He was president of Things to Come mission board for 21 years and helped found the mission Grace Beyond Borders International. He traveled to countries such as The Philippines (9 times), Brazil, Africa and may other places, sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Shortly before he passed from this life, he expressed how excited he was for the next chapter of his life to begin, with a new message and a new gospel to preach.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

All arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Newcomer Funeral Home, Akron, Ohio.