John Henry Kelsey passed away Wednesday, July 23, 2025. He was born in Whitewright, Texas on March 22, 1947 to Emil Thomas and Lillie Bell Kelsey. He graduated from Whitewright High School in 1965 and enlisted in the United States Army in 1967, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam as Infantry. In 1967, he married Barbara Parker and they had three sons. In 1977, John married Florence Pilkinton Vanderslice, whom he often said was the love of his life. For 44 years, they made their home in Paris, Texas. John worked for Harrison, Walker and Harper as roofer and then drove semis for various local companies until he and Florence opened Jodie’s Pecan Shed in 1990. John and Florence retired in 2008 and he finally had time to work around his farm, play guitar and fiddle at the Roxton Opry, fish in the local lakes, and spoil his grandchildren and his puppy-dog, Sheba.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Florence; his first wife, Barbara; his parents; his sisters Willie Faye Maxey, Annie Ruth Kelsey, Oleta Kelsey, and Vonnie Montgomery; and twin infant brothers Billy Jack and Bernie Joe.
John is survived by his brother, James Kelsey of Bells, Tx; his three sons, John Kelsey, Jr., Charles Kelsey, and Thomas Kelsey, and their children and grandchildren; step-daughter, Diann Mason and her husband Mike; step-son Billy Vanderslice and his wife Shannon; his granddaughters, Jodie Nicholson, Morgan Brunson, and Emily Mason; great-grandchildren Rylee and Trevor Makerney, and his faithful little dog of fifteen years, Sheba.
A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, 2025 at Union Grove Cemetery in Reno, Tx. Fry-Gibbs Funeral Directors have charge of the arrangements.
A special thank you to Golden Care Home Health, Brentwood Terrace, and Heart-to-Heart Hospice for their excellent care and their compassion during John’s illness. In lieu of flowers, John would prefer a donation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars or any other program supporting US Veterans. Of course, what he would have preferred most would be that you take a child fishing.
