George Michael Kelly, 86, of Spring Mills, passed away on April 10, 2026. Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on January 27, 1940, George lived a life shaped by an enduring love for the natural world — one he carried from the fields and streams of Pennsylvania into a distinguished career as a wildlife biologist.
George served six years in the Pennsylvania National Guard, receiving an honorable discharge in 1968. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from Saint Vincent College in 1970, a Master of Science in 1973, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Wildlife Biology in 1977, both graduate degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He joined the faculty at Penn State University as an Associate Professor before serving as Regional Director for Western Pennsylvania with Ducks Unlimited from 1984 to 1993. He concluded his professional life as a Wildlife Biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission from which he retired in 2004.
George was a life-long outdoorsman with a deep passion for hunting grouse and woodcock with his English setters. He also cherished deer hunting, fly fishing, and bass fishing. Music was another great love, and George was a familiar and beloved presence at the Elk Creek Cafe in Penns Valley, a gathering place where his community knew him well.
George is survived by his son, Stefan Kelly, and Stefan’s partner, Hannah Latzo, of Prairie City, Oregon; and by his siblings and their spouses: Robert and Donna Kelly, Eugene Kelly, James and Emily Kelly, and John Kelly and Nancy Rusbosin. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kim Morris; and by his parents, George Kelly and Anna Rose (Zitt) Kelly, of Latrobe.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Penns Valley Conservation Association or Trout Unlimited.