James O'Kelley

James Michael (Mike) O'Kelley, 69 years old, passed away on February 9th in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was born November 8th, 1952, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He attended school at Saint Edwards parochial and Carlsbad public schools in Carlsbad, New Mexico through his freshman year. He attended Mountain Home High School in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He was stationed in Germany in the United States Army during the Vietnam war from 1971 through 1973. Mike was a certified pipefitter/welder, which allowed him to travel to many states. Mike enjoyed working with his hands and possessed enormous mechanical skills, which he generously used to help family and friends.



Michael was preceded in death by his infant son Kevin Connor O'Kelley, grandparents James Cecil (J.C.) and Irene (Erwin) O'Kelley, Alexander (Alex) and Katherine (Kreizenbeck) Klein.



He is survived by his son Robert Michael (Bobby) O'Kelley, his parents, Robert Erwin, and Virginia Ann (Klein) O'Kelley, his sister Deborah (Debbie) Ruff (Donald), his brother Padrick (Sean) O'Kelley (Margaret), his sister Roberta (Ann) Bennett (Scott), his ex-wife Deborah Kay Barnes, his nieces, Kristen (Bennett) Vigil, Patricia (Patty) O'Kelley, Maddison (Maddie) O'Kelley, and his nephews Jeffrey (Jeff) and Jason Bennett, Aaron, Marshall, Taylor, and Preston Ruff.



Burial will be at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico later.