Thomas P. Kelly Jr.

A message from the President
April 13, 2021

Dear LMU Community:

I am saddened to share that Thomas P. Kelly Jr., emeritus professor and a former dean of the LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts, passed away on April 7, 2021. He was 91 years old.

Mr. Kelly joined LMU in the fall of 1975 in what is now CFA, which then included the film and television programs. During his tenure as dean, he was known for his passion for the arts and his ambitious initiatives that advanced the college.

After his retirement in 2003, Mr. Kelly maintained close contact with the college, serving on the CFA Council. Mr. Kelly and his wife, Ginny, were benefactors of CFA, the European Choral Tour, the Judy Scalin and Loren Garretson Dance Scholarship, the Peg Dolan R.S.H.M. Campus Ministry Center, and the Samuel Z. Arkoff Award. The Thomas P. Kelly Jr. Student Art Gallery, established in 2008, is named in his honor and reflects Mr. Kelly’s devotion to our students. One of his long-term goals had been for the LMU Choruses to sing at the Vatican, which he and Ginny witnessed as they traveled with the group on the 2010 Italy tour.

Before joining LMU, Mr. Kelly was a writer, director and producer in film, television, and theatre. In 1969 he was nominated for an Academy Award for the documentary “A Space to Grow.” He also wrote “The Parent Book,” on the positive emotional development of children.

Mr. Kelly graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in history from Providence College and earned a master’s degree in drama from Catholic University of America.

Memorial services are pending. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Please keep Tom, his wife Ginny, his family, and his many friends in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President