Charles Rodney Kellis

Charles Rodney Kellis, 93, of Hillsboro, passed away with his family by his side on Sunday, Feb. 15 at Heartland of Hillsboro.

Mr. Kellis was born in Hillsboro on July 17, 1921, the son of the late Esta Marie “Shaw” Kellis of Sabina.

Mr. Kellis is survived by his daughter, Deborah Harsha of Hillsboro; his son, John (Carolyn) Kellis of Hillsboro; four grandchildren, Jared (Barb) Harsha of Raleigh, N.C., Justin (Alyssa) Harsha, of Hillsboro, Megan (Dr. Faisal) Khatri of Covington, Ky., and Joshua (Bobbie) Kellis of Hillsboro; nine great-grandchildren, Gavin and Mallory Harsha, Reed and Jenna Harsha, Zayd, Layth, Safiya and Sayf Khatri and Gabrielle Kellis; and four stepgrandchildren Christian, Abbigail, Carlie, and Joleena Cundiff.

Rodney was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Jane “Fling” Kellis in 2007. They were wed on May 8, 1945 and were married for 62 years. He was also preceded in death by his grandson, Christopher Ryan Kellis; and his son-in-law, Charles “Sandy” Harsha.

The second youngest of a family of nine, Rodney was preceded in death by his siblings Floyd, Bob, and Clarence Kellis, sisters Bertha Nace, Dora Snow, Lola Lemon, and Zelma Mercer. He is survived by his sister, June McMackin and sister-in-law Juel Fling.

He was a 1940 graduate of Hillsboro High School, during that time residing at the Highland County Children’s Home in Hillsboro. While in high school, he excelled in sports as a starting member of Hillsboro’s first back-to-back SCOL champion basketball team in 1938 and 1939. He was also named a two-time All-Ohio football player in 1939 and 1940. Rodney received a scholarship to play football and basketball at Wittenberg University and attended until being drafted into the service a year and a half later.

Mr. Kellis was a veteran of World War II, where he was a sergeant in the Army Air Corps with the 8th Air Force and the 389th Bomber Group. He served as a crew member of the “Naughty Norma” B-24 Bomber stationed in Heathrow, England. He was twice wounded during his European deployment. During the crew’s final mission over Germany, the Norma was shot down, her crew being held in Sweden until being returned to the United States.

Mr. Kellis was one mission short of his final mission when they were shot down, having missed two missions recovering from his prior wounds for which he earned a Purple Heart. Mr. Kellis’s plane is immortalized on the World War II Monument at the Highland County Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the Highland County Courthouse.

He spent much of his working life heading up a survey crew for the Ohio Department of Transportation. He and his crew were responsible for much of the surveying for the design and construction of the “Ohio Appalachian Highway” from Cincinnati to Jackson, Ohio and beyond.

Mr. Kellis chaired the committee to erect another World War II Memorial, at Liberty Park, in memory of Jack Bowen, Spencer Shaw, and George Collins, three young men in Rodney’s 1940 graduating class who were all killed separately in bombers during World War II.

Mr. Kellis was a member of Hillsboro High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Hillsboro Masonic Lodge, the VFW, and the American Legion. He was honored as a Citizen of the Month by the City of Hillsboro and served on the city’s traffic committee.

He was one of many responsible for the development of Hillsboro’s Baseball Park, now known as the Richard Shaffer Park, where he helped lay out and survey for the park and where he coached and umpired baseball games for many years.

Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Friday, Feb. 20 from noon-2 p.m. at the Turner & Son Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Funeral services will follow visitation at 2 p.m., with burial at the Hillsboro Cemetery with military honors being presented by the Highland County Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hillsboro VFW Post 9094, 1000 West Main Street, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133.

For more information or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc.