Sean Francis Kelly, PhD – 50th Reunion Essay

Sean Francis Kelly, PhD

10 Woodland Road

Beverly, MA 01915

seanfkellyphd@gmail.com

617-792-7479

Spouse(s): Priscilla Conwell Deck (2008), Reid Jameson Fisher (1970, d. 2001)

Child(ren): Amy Bond Kelly Olivier (1975), Ian Young Kelly (1977), step-children Raymond Deck (1975), Christina Yarrington (1977), Charles Deck (1981), Gina Deck (1983), Laurabeth Stones (1984)

Grandchild(ren): Ava Reid Olivier (2004), Luc Jameson Olivier (2006), Owen Connor Kelly (2013), Brigid Katherine Kelly (2015), Declan Reid Kelly (2017), Josiah Bowen Deck and Raymond Conwell Deck (twins) (2014), Lola Catherine Yarrington (2008), Liam MacIntyre Yarrington (2013), Ottalie Veronica Deck (2017), Babygirl Stones coming in 2018

Education: Boston University, Ph.D. 1974

Career: Psychologist private practice; Beth Israel Hospital; assistant professor, Harvard Medical School

Avocations: family, golf, music, Episcopal church, travel, languages

College: Calhoun (Hopper)

I expected that my life after college would be a simple, straightforward story, sort of like a long novel. It turned out, however, to be a trilogy of sorts, like Star Wars or the Sergio Leone spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood.

The first episode was wonderful. I met Reid in college, got married the week after she graduated, got my PhD., and settled into what we thought would be the rest of our lives. We moved to the suburbs (Newton) and had two children, coached soccer, taught Sunday School, wrote some books, and vacationed on the Cape. It was good and I thought it would last for the rest of my life.

The second episode was darker and shorter. After a very brief illness, Reid died of cancer. Also in that five-year time span, both my parents died, 9/11 happened, and my life changed in many ways, some good. Both children had left home and begun successful careers, so I was a single man on my own. I moved to Beacon Hill, explored enlisting in the armed forces (too old), ran the Marine Corps Marathon, and had to learn how to live on my own.

The third episode of my life has also been wonderful, like the happy conclusion of any good trilogy. I met and in 2008 married Priscilla Deck, also widowed, and we moved to the North Shore. Our children got married and had children (we are expecting our 11th grandchild) and survived illnesses. We travel, play golf, go to concerts and the opera, to church, to the beach and to games and events of our grandchildren. We appreciate life.

I’m happy and I think the people in my life are also. I hope so. Because the last line of a comedy is supposed to be….