Bobby Joe “Bob” Kelly, age 81, of Westpoint, TN passed away Wednesday, September 16, 2026, surrounded by immediate family, at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, TN.
Bob was born in Lawrenceburg, TN, and raised in Mobile, AL. As a youth, he spent his summers visiting family in Westpoint, which left a lasting impression. To know Bob was to know his immense love and dedication to his family, and his deep, lifelong connection to the Kelly farm on Knob Creek.
After technical school in 1965, Bob hitched a ride across the country and soon landed a job at Dynalectron Corporation in Fort Worth, TX. His work took him to Okinawa and Vietnam repairing radar and communications equipment, then to the calibration laboratory at NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston with Philco Ford, and aboard the USNS General H.H. Arnold, acquiring antenna lock-up and recording telemetry data for missile tests and Apollo missions for RCA. He spent his downtime in Okinawa racing motorcycles and winning trophies with a local cycle club.
By the early ’70s, following several years of a career that took him around the world, Bob was living as a bachelor in New Orleans. It was a chance encounter at a consulate party where he met the love of his life and future wife, Teresa Barturen. Several years later, they married. October 2nd would have been Bob and Tere’s 50th anniversary. They moved to the family homestead and transformed the Kelly family log cabin built in the 1800s into their home. There, they raised their two children, Bobby and Diana.
Throughout the late 1970s and ’80s, Bob traveled internationally for Stauffer Chemical, then Morrison-Knudsen. His engineering skill and problem-solving earned him recognition, and General Motors recruited him as a project manager in Mansfield, OH. After several years with GM, Bob was determined to get back to his farm, and he took a chance on building something of his own.
In 1989, he co-founded Manufacturing Solutions Incorporated (MSI) in Lawrenceburg, TN. The company grew from a fax machine in a bedroom into a business handling systems integration projects as large as $10 million, employing nearly 25 people and local subcontractors. MSI later expanded into a spin-off, Manufacturing Services & Installation, known for its work in machine safety and guarding systems. He served as president until retiring in 2019.
Bob’s personal life centered around family, nature, and an interest in both art and music. The land inspired him, and he painted it often. Every tree he planted, every home improvement he put his hand to, was in its own way also his art. His appreciation for old homes and historic architecture compelled him to purchase and restore the historic Garrett House in Lawrenceburg. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
His father was an accomplished musician, and it shaped Bob’s own love of music. Family gatherings often ended in late-night sessions in the living room, with Bob leading the way on clarinet or harmonica, singing, and encouraging everyone to grab an instrument and join in. Bob was a romantic at heart, and once the music started, he never missed a chance to dance with Tere, even in his frailest state.
Bob adored his children and supported them without question. His laughter was contagious, and he loved to share his life stories. He loved to entertain family and friends, and his home was always open to them, in celebration or in need. To his grandchildren, he was known as “Bob Bob.” Bob Bob never hesitated to join in everything they did. He carried them around the farm in the bucket of a tractor, took them fishing on the creek, and he loved most of all to make them laugh.
A risk taker who was tough as nails, Bob also had a soft spot and a generous heart to match. He met every challenge with grit and persistence. An entrepreneur at heart, he had the optimism to see potential where many did not, and he was never afraid to blaze his own trail.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde McGee and Marjorie Johnson Kelly; and one brother, Freddie Lee Kelly.
He is survived by his wife, Teresa Barturen Kelly of Westpoint, TN; one son, Robert Joseph Kelly (Kathryn Vaughan) of Vashon, WA; one daughter, Diana Marie Sue Ray (Andrew Ray) of Athens, OH; and six grandchildren, Guinevere Kelly, Juliette Kelly, Julian Kelly, Miles Ray, Oliver Ray, and Lilian Ray.
Bob was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lawrenceburg, TN.
Arrangements are being handled by Neal Funeral Home, 231 N. Military Avenue, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday, October 2, 2026, at Neal Funeral Home with a rosary service at 7:00 PM. Funeral Mass will be conducted at Loretto Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 10:30 AM Saturday, October 3, 2026, with Father Daniel Steiner officiating. Inurnment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Lawrenceburg, TN. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
