Remembering Richard Kelly 

In loving memory of Richard James Kelly (RJ), we celebrate a life of resilience, determination, entrepreneurial spirit, commitment and gusto!

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From humble beginnings in Woburn, just a stone's throw away from the R.J. Kelly office, Richard's life exemplifies the epitome of the American Dream.

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“I‘ve always liked to build things. When I was seven, I got tired of my father promising to buy me a bike, so I looked around for parts in the Woburn dump on Mishawum Road and used them to build my own bike”. This example is just the very beginning of Richard’s eagerness to succeed.

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Richard’s first job was working in the corn fields of Burlington. He persevered through hardships that would have deterred many, yet he was not one to be confined by circumstances. He harbored an ambition to create something enduring, laying a foundation for the company we have all come to love.

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He took great pride in saying that he started the R.J. Kelly Company in 1952 when he was 19 years old. We take great pride in that as well.

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While our company has grown over the years, we have never lost sight of the values that Richard had as a 19-year-old man setting out to fulfill his dream. Hard work, dedication, commitment, a passion to test limits, and the confidence to exceed them are some of the hallmarks of what brought us to where we are as a company today.​

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Richard will always be celebrated wholeheartedly for the life he lived and the trail he blazed!