Everett A. Kelly, 92, of Lady Lake, FL, passed away on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. He was born in Foley, AL moving to Florida with his family at age three.
Everett was a World War II veteran, having served in the United States Navy as a hospital Corpsman. After serving in the military, Everett returned to Florida where he graduated from public school in 1947. He then received his BS Degree in Zoology from Florida State University in 1951 and a BS Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1960.
Everett was elected to the Executive Committee of the Florida Pharmacy Association and served for two years on the statewide Drug Utilization Review committee. He was a former member of both the Florida Pharmacy Association and the American Pharmacy Association.
Everett served in the Florida House of Representatives for 22 years. During his tenure he served on the committees of Appropriations, Agriculture, Retirement, Personnel and Collective Bargaining, the Advisory Council on Intergovernmental relations, The Advisory Council on Environmental Education, Finance and Taxation, Health Care, Insurance, Rules and Calendar and The Florida Boating Advisory Committee.
He chaired the Committees on Health and Rehabilitative Services, Governmental Operations, Corrections, Probation and Parole, Regulated Industries Professional Regulations, Regulatory Reform, Natural Resources and the sub-committee on Aging, in the Health and Rehabilitative Services committee and the Vice Chair of the Committee on Health Care Standards. He also served as the Chair of the Senior Caucus of the Florida House. Mr. Kelly served as Speaker Pro Tem of the Florida House for two years in 1990-1991.
He was a prime sponsor of the Lake Apopka Restoration Council Bill, The Environmental Ricco Act; The Lake Panasofskee Restoration Council Law; One of two house members who introduced legislation to set minimum daily nutrient loads for Lake Apopka, that led to the buy out of the Apopka Muck Farms; began the St. John’s River Annual Cleanup; he obtained monies to create Lake Apopka Flow Way. He was actively involved in the cleanup and restoration of the Harris Chain of Lakes since the late 1960’s and obtained the first ten million dollars to restore Lake Panasofskee in Sumter County.
In 1978, Mr. Kelly received the R.Q. Richards Award for outstanding public relations in the field of pharmacy. In 1978 he was named “Pharmacist of the year” for the State of Florida. In 1989 he received the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Southeastern College of “Osteopathic Medicine” in Miami. In 1988, he received the “Hubert Humphrey Award” for outstanding public service in the field of legislative endeavors in the United States. He is the recipient of the 1990 D.I. Rainey Chiropractic Award, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Crime Fighters Award, and the Legislator of the Year from the Florida Physical Therapists. He was the 1998 recipient of the “Bowl of Hygia” Award, and received the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida Legislative Award.
Mr. Kelly was a practicing Pharmacist since 1960 in the fields of Retail, Hospital and Department of Correction Pharmacy.
He was a member of the Masons, the Kiwanis, the Bahia Shrine Temple 234 in Tavares, FL, the Ambassador at Large for 1997, the Lake County Shrine Club, the Lake County Grotto, the High Twelve Club, the Former Eustis American Legion, a former member of The Heart of Florida Girl Scouts Council, the Central Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America advisory council, the co-chairman of the Correctional Education Association and the Elks Club.
Everett served as chairman of the Lake County Centennial Committee. He served as the President of the Ibeni Tera Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to cleaning up Florida’s surface waters. He also served as chairman of Drug Free Inc. in Lake County.
Everett enjoyed fishing and writing. He was the former host of the outdoor television show called “Stumpknockers N’ Things” and wrote a column of the same title for the Daily Commercial, then a member of the New York Times Newspaper Group. He is a former member of the Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association.
Everett was instrumental in getting permitting necessary to build the golf cart bridge over highway 441 in the Villages, FL. It is named The Everett Kelly Causeway.
The Convocation Center at Lake Sumter Community College was created in his honor and named Everett Kelly Convocation Center.
He is a published author of four books: The Atlatl (The Calusa Indians encounter with Florida’s discoverer Ponce de Leon), Ida’s Caleb (a historical novel of Central Florida in the 1870’s), a children’s book “Tiny Tom” (a factual account of the life of a baby turkey from an egg to becoming the Boss Tom of the woods) and “A Memoir From Nothing to Fulfillment” (his life story).
Mr. Kelly was the CEO of the Thomas Langley Medical Center in Summerfield, a position he held since May, 2004.
On August 21, 1982 Everett married Tara. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years: Tara Kelly, Lady Lake, FL; son: Steve Kelly, Crawfordville, FL; daughter: Connie Collins, Grand Island, FL; step-daughter: Connie (Douglas) Hecht, Ocala, FL; brothers: Russell (Juanita) Kelly, Pensacola, FL, Larry (Phyllis) Kelly, Pensacola, FL, and Michael (Joyce) Kelly, Pensacola, FL; 9 grandchildren; and 6 great grandchildren.
The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at the Life Community Church in Eustis, FL with Reverend John Schneck and Reverend David Woerner officiating. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday, November 19, 2018 at the church. The interment will be held at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell following the services.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of Lake and Sumter County at 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778 or to Hospice of Marion County at 17395 SE 109th Terrace Road, Summerfield, FL 34491.
