As a physician, he portrayed the image of Marcus Welby, M.D., a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner. Yet he had a fascinating personal life that included a stint as a navy fighter pilot, crossing paths with Muhammad Ali, and rafting the Colorado River.
Longtime LaPorte physician, Dr. Bob Kelsey, 83, died October 15, at home of complications resulting from chronic pulmonary illness.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was raised in LaPorte after his father opened his own Maple City medical practice in 1931. His mother, Vensetta, was a nurse. Both had a profound influence on his career choice, as well as his extremely strong work ethic, but first he sought adventure. After graduating from LaPorte High School in 1946, he briefly attended DePauw University before joining the Navy and becoming an aircraft carrier pilot during the Korean War. "Dad loved to fly, and he was proud of his service," said his oldest son, Bob. "He continued his membership in the Tail hook Association, and he proudly displayed an actual aircraft tail hook in his front yard."
When he returned from the service, Dr. Kelsey completed his college education at DePauw and then graduated from the University of Louisville Medical School in 1959. As a medical student, he once performed a Golden Gloves Tournament pre-boxing physical examination on a young Cassius Clay, who later went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
After finishing a one year internship at Presbyterian-St. Luke's (Rush University) Hospital in Chicago, Dr. Kelsey opened and managed his extremely busy family practice in 1960 until he retired some 40 years later. "A lot of people in LaPorte County and the surrounding areas were brought into this world by my dad," said his daughter, Marcia Cesafsky. She explained, "Even though he was a family doctor, he annually delivered two or three hundred babies during the peak years of his practice." He served two full terms as the President of the Medical Staff at LaPorte Hospital and also served as President of the LaPorte County Medical Association. He was on the Board of two area nursing homes and served as Medical Director of Country Side Nursing Home for a number of years. During the 1960s he even was the physician for the LaPorte County Jail and the County Home.
Dr. Kelsey was active beyond his profession and before his illness, held a number of elected positions on various Boards and Committees at St. John's Lutheran Church. He was an avid sport fisherman, and prior to this year, took annual treks to Northern Wisconsin angling for Muskie and Walleye. Just before his retirement in 1999, he went on an eight day rafting expedition down the Colorado River.
On October 16, he would have been married to his surviving wife, Edna (Maahs) for 60 years. Other survivors include his four children: Robert (Beth) Kelsey of Carol Stream, IL; Marcia (Barry) Cesafsky of Chicago; Sandra (Kirby) Chapman of Naperville, IL; and Stephen (Joan) Kelsey of LaPorte. There are nine grandchildren and a surviving sister, Cynthia (late Marvin) Frampton of Indianapolis.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday October 18 at 4:00 P.M. at St. John's Lutheran Church located at 111 Kingsbury Avenue in LaPorte. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LaPorte Hospital Foundation at www.laportehealth.org or to St. John's Lutheran Church and School. A private burial will take place at a later time at St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Cutler Funeral Home.