Mr. Orville A. Kelley (1928 – 2012)
“…a unique, unforgettable person. Mr. Kelley was one of the most tenacious workers I’ve known.” Bill Clark
Orville Kelley, director of bands and trumpet professor at Henderson State University from 1955-1958, passed away on June 2, 2012. Among his students was Dr. Bill Clark, professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico.
Mr. Kelley was a native of Bokchito, Oklahoma and was born on April 17,1928. He was a 1945 graduate of Nashville High School in Arkansas. After graduating, he served in the United States Army. Mr. Kelley lived in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area since 1973. He was the owner and operator of Swicegood Music, Inc. in Lake Charles for over 35 years. Mr.Kelley was a member of the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA). He was a member of several Bandmasters Associations including; Texas Bandmasters, Louisiana Bandmasters, American Bandmasters, District 5 Bandmasters and was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Mr. Kelley was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Phi Beta Mu fraternities.
Mr. Kelley enrolled at Henderson State Teachers College in 1947 and graduated in 1953. He returned in 1955 as Director of Bands, teachiing band and applied music until 1958. He career continued in Nederland, TX; Texas City, TX; Grand Prairie, TX; Commerce, TX; and in Spring, TX before moving to Lake Charles. In his spare time, he loved teaching music which was his passion in life. He loved serving the people of Southwest Louisiana the only way he knew how, through music.