Michael D. Kelley's Obituary
Michael D. Kelley, 60, of Chattanooga, passed away Sunday, June 9, 2024, in a local hospital. He was born March 18, 1964, in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the proud parents Leo Freeman, Jr. and Mary Diane Kelley-Freeman, both of Chattanooga. He was a beloved resident of Chattanooga. After residing in Atlanta, Georgia for 17 years, he returned home to establish a business, M & T’s Soul Food Express, where he was a hard-working laborer working two jobs to make that dream come true. He received his education through Hamilton County Schools at Howard High School and later obtained his GED completing his former educational task, job well done. Michael had a strong belief in God and shared his beliefs with all that encountered him. He was a very humorous yet serious-minded person. He loved jokes, and his favorite line to his family was, “What’s going on?” He had a special and deep love for his uncle, Arthur “Bud Lee” Kelley, and aunts Lenora Hall and Lucy Carrie Lightfoot, who were seen as second mothers to them all. His sisters, Samantha and Tracy, along with his uncle “Bud Lee,” were instrumental in opening and running his restaurant, M & T’s Soul Food Express Restaurant, which he named after he and his son Terence. Michael and his sister, Barbara, had a very strong bond and communicated on all aspects of life and family. His brothers and he enjoyed a great childhood and teenage life together with many memories to forever cherish. Michael was truly loved by his family, coworkers, and friends, and will be dearly missed. He was preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Mariah Thomas; grandfather, Wiley Lewis Kelley; grandmother, Mary Jewel Kelley, who raised him while playing an instrumental role in his life; his mother, Mary Diane Kelley; uncle, Willie James Kelley; aunts, Alice Faye Atkins and Patricia Kelley-Cunningham. He leaves to cherish his fond memories his son, Terence D. Kelley, of Chattanooga; his daughter, Kourtney Baldwin, of Jacksonville, FL; father, Leo Freeman, Jr., of Chattanooga; devoted sisters, Barbara Evans-Gray, of Ringgold, GA, Samantha Noble, and Tracy Freeman, both of Chattanooga; brothers, Nathaniel Freeman and Brillard Kelley, both of Chattanooga, and Timothy Ashley, of Nashville, TN; three other sisters, Lisa and Tracy Freeman and LeShonda (Chad) Jothem, all of Minneapolis, MD; uncle, Arthur “Bud Lee” Lewis Kelley of Chattanooga; loving and devoted aunts, Lenora Kelley-Hall and Lucy Carrie Kelley-Lightfoot, both of Chattanooga. Cherishing his memory along with other family members are loving and devoted nieces, Sardae (Euinnus) Fletcher and Tiffany Gray; cousins, Demarcus “Big Man” Akins and Kenneth “Kay-Kay” Kelley; nephew, Brian Anderson; a host of other cousins and friends. Michael will lie-in-state on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. at Taylor Funeral Home. Funeral service will follow at 12:00 noon in the chapel with Minister Stephen Gilcrest as eulogist. Burial in Forest Hills Cemetery.
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