Dr. Robert George Kelly

Winston-Salem, NC - Dr. Robert George Kelly passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 29, 2023, having just spent the Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by his family.

Dr. Kelly was the youngest of 3 boys and was born in Liberty, SC, on March 8, 1948. He graduated from Liberty High School where he played a rare four sports including baseball, football, basketball, and ran track. He went on to Clemson University. In high school he met his beloved wife of 52 years, Maxine, and they were married on June 20, 1971. He completed medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina and residency at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. He practiced family medicine in the Clemson, SC area before moving to Winston-Salem in 1979 when he joined Maplewood Family Practice. He spent the next 44 years there as a beloved family medicine physician. He was a devout and active member of Ardmore Baptist Church where he served for years as a deacon.

Dr. Kelly, affectionately called "Abu" by his grandchildren, was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Claude Kelly and his brother, Bill Kelly.  He is survived by his wife, Maxine; two sons, Jonathan Kelly (Libby) and Russell Kelly; his brother, Don Kelly (Faye); his six grandchildren, Amory, Lila, Eve, Whit, Bo, and Taran; his wonderful Maplewood family, his dear friends, and his dog, Jake.

Abu was a man who loved to love others. He had a profound love of medicine and his patients, and each day felt blessed to work as a physician. He was still working at 75 because he simply loved it. He was a best friend to his sons, a devoted and loving husband and grandfather, and had close friends far and wide whom he considered to be family. A passionate horseman still showing Arabians, an adult learner of Spanish (spoken with a Southern drawl), a gardener (particularly tomatoes), a lover of Dodgers baseball and Clemson football, and though he was a perpetually cheerful and content soul, some of his happiest days were spent in his truck pulling a camper across the US with his granddaughter, Eve, and his dogs, en route to an Arabian horse show. While there is so much to mourn in this sudden and unexpected loss, there is so very much to celebrate in a man who burned the candle at both ends, spent his free time in the service of others, always checking in on friends and family, always lending a hand - always, always. A celebration of life service will be held at 2pm on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Ardmore Baptist Church with Rev. Ty Talton and Dr. Paul Mullen officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 or to a charity of choice.  Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is serving the family of Dr. Kelly.