James King Kelly, fondly known as Jim, passed away peacefully on Sunday September 8, 2019. His two sons, Jake and Charlie, and his loving wife Sharlene of 28 years were faithfully by his side.

B orn in Burlington, Vermont in 1959 , son of Priscilla and Fred Kelly, Jim attended Woodstock High School and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1982 with a B.A. in Geography. While at UVM he was a part of Delta Psi Fraternity. He started his career in the hospitality industry as a bus-boy with RockResorts in Woodstock, VT, a talent he practiced until the end. He furthered his education with a M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Jim established a career in Human Resources, working with Chase Manhattan Bank, CitiGroup, Deutsche Bank, Marsh and McLennan Companies and Riverstone Resources LLC. His career sent him to destinations such as Miami, The British Virgin Islands, Jackson Hole WY, New York City, Brazil and finally residing in New Hampshire all while keeping his roots grounded in Vermont. The team at RiverStone served as a second family and an outstanding supporter for him and his family throughout his fight. He enjoyed serving on the Board of City Year, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to helping students and schools succeed.

Life came full circle, bringing Jim and his family back to Woodstock, VT. A ski ballet competitor himself, his sons turned their focus to alpine racing. Jim became a passionate supporter of Woodstock Ski Runners. Whether on the board of Ski Runners or at the "Surfboard" holding court, he was passionate about children learning to ski race. He was a dedicated volunteer and loved to be the one sending the racers down the hill as the Starter.

As a child, he spent summers in Bayside, Maine learning to sail and making life-long friends. He brought his family back to Bayside, where his sons learned to sail, taught sailing and crewed for him in races throughout Penobscot Bay. As an integral part of the Bayside community, he was Commodore of the Northport Yacht Club and served on the NYC Board of Directors, where he cherished the Bayside experience. He always felt that he could never repay the community for all that they have done for him and his family. Bayside served as his anchor in life; keep his spirit alive and remember his "Joie de Vivre" love and loyalty.

An extraordinarily vivacious, charismatic, and accomplished man, he swept fun into the world beyond measure. Jim, the proverbial life of the party, was unwilling to leave this one early. He fought cancer for over four years and when the cancer got strong, his fight got stronger.

Thank you to all who supported and laughed with Jim and his family over the years. Raise a glass to a life well lived and not a moment wasted.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, and his sisters: Linda, Nancy, Martha, and many friends and family who were supportive of him until the end. Especially thankful to the Steele, Montgomery and Merchant families.

The family will be hosting a memorial visitation at the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock, VT Friday, September 13, from 5-7 pm. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 14, at St. James Episcopal Church, Woodstock, VT followed by a reception at Suicide Six. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Woodstock Ski Runners ( www.skirunners.org ) or the Bayside Junior Sailing Program in Northport, ME at www.northportyachtclub.org or P.O. Box 957 Belfast, ME 04915.