Earvin D. Kelley, baseball hall of fame inductee
Earvin D. Kelley, 74, of Milford, formerly of Rehoboth Beach, departed this life Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, in Kent General Hospital. Earvin was born in Nassawadox, Va., to the late Marvin and Ethel Kelley.
Earvin graduated from W.C. Jason Comprehensive High School in Georgetown, which is now Del Tech. He attended Delaware State College for some years. Earvin was dynamic at playing football and baseball.
He would have been drafted to play for the Major League Baseball teams, but his dad put a stop to it. He said Earvin had to finish school. In 2010, he was inducted into the Negro Baseball Hall of Fame. Earvin held down several jobs such as: Doxie's Clam Factory in Lewes; shucked oysters (also for private parties); cooker at restaurants, Mountaire and Paramount Poultry plants, just to name a few. Earvin retired from the City of Rehoboth after many years of service.
He was known to many as “Ice Man,” “Smooth” and "Kelley.” He was also known for his style of big hats and one-of-a-kind pipes. He loved his Cadillacs. Earvin loved to dress; nothing was out of place when he stepped out.
Earvin was a great father, granddad, great-granddad and father-in-law. He had a warm and loving heart. He went without so that some of his friends could have what they needed. He had a quality about him that was rare.
He loved to fish, hunt, play cards and dominos (with his domino club). Even when his health was failing him, if he couldn't drive himself, he would get his grandsons, Antron or Marcus, to drive him to Rehoboth to play dominos. Earvin loved to cook; he passed that down to his daughter Pandora who learned a lot from her dad. Earvin was a lifetime member of the Masonic Lodge; his rank was 33rd degree.
Earvin was preceded in death by his father, Marvin W. Kelley; his mother, Ethel M. Kelley; his stepmother, Dorothy Marshall Kelley; sister Hazel Marshall; and brother Elwood Gaines.
Earvin is survived by two daughters, Pandora (Vance G. Daniels Jr.) of Lincoln and Michelle Kelley of Raleigh, N.C.; six grandchildren, Antron Hazzard of Georgetown, Reginald (Brittany) Hazzard of Millsboro, Marcus Hazzard of Magnolia, Jahmon Lunan of Raleigh, Vance Daniels III of Lincoln and Vanasha Daniels of Lincoln; one great-granddaughter, Majesty Hazzard of Dover; three sisters, RosaLee Handy of Selbyville, Maeola Waters of Frankford and Diane (Charles) Lillard of Frankford; four brothers, Thomas Marshall of Philadelphia, Pa., Charles (Peggy) Marshall of Roxana, Alvin (Karen) Marshall of Georgetown and Marvin (Sissy) Marshall of Frankford; and a host of family and friends.
Services will be 1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, at Friendship Baptist Church, 500 W. 4th St., Lewes, where friends may call two hours prior. Arrangements by Bennie Smith Funeral Homes.
