Claude Lavern KELLEY ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

FIND A GRAVE:
OBIT -
ONEONTA \emdash Mr. C. Lavern Kelley, 70, of Oneonta, died Friday afternoon, Dec. 11, 1998, at Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown.
He was born April 27, 1928, in Oneonta, the son of Claude and Grace (Schermerhorn) Kelley.
Lavern, a lifelong area resident, owned and operated the family farm in the town of Oneonta along with his brother, Roger Kelley, since 1946.
As a pastime Lavern enjoyed carving wood with a pen knife that he had received as a young boy and continued this throughout his adult life. He was a highly regarded folk artist and wood carver throughout the country. Since 1935, he has carved over 460 models of vehicles and farm equipment. In 1985, he participated in his first art exhibition at Galley 53 in Cooperstown and received national press coverage in Art and Auction Magazine. His wood carvings are found in many private and public collections including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, N.M., and the Farmers' Museum, Cooperstown.
He is survived by his brother, Roger Kelley of Oneonta; one aunt, Esther Rohland of Schenectady; and cousins, Robert and Jean Schermerhorn of Cherry Valley and Harold and Harriet Schermerhorn of Floral City, Fla.
Funeral and committal services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998, from the Bookhout Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oneonta, with the Rev. Keith Van Dewerker, pastor of the West End Community Church, Oneonta, officiating.
Friends may call at the Bookhout Funeral Home, Oneonta, on Friday, Dec. 18, 1998, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. when the family will be present.
Mr. Kelley will be placed in the Bookhout Funeral Home Private Vault to await spring burial in Milford Center Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are by the Bookhout Funeral Homes, Oneonta and Otego.