Joe Kelly always looked on the bright, funny side of life and will be remembered for the inspiring effect his positive attitude had on the people around him.
Kelly, 58, died Friday in hospital in Brisbane, Australia as a result of head injuries after he was hit by a falling tree branch during a violent storm while competing in a running race on March 24.
The longtime Prince George resident and former Canfor employee moved to Australia in April 2010 with his wife Laura to take on a term position as a plant manager in New South Wales. Tim Rowe, who became good friends with Kelly while training and competing in Prince George Road Runners races, said Kelly's knack for motivating people and his witty Pythonesque sense of humour wore off on those around him and he will be sadly missed.
"Joe was a people-person who encouraged everybody to do their best and particularly in relation to skiing, biking and running he was an unbelievably supportive guy to everybody, just super," said Tim Rowe.
"He drew people in and he had many friends in Prince George and Australia. He could connect with people. He and Laura were going to do quite a lot of travel [a three-month Australian tour] and then come back to Prince George. He was planning on retiring and spending more time here. It's just tragic."
Kelly achieved the dream of most marathoners on May 2003 when he broke the three-hour barrier, finishing the Vancouver International Marathon in two hours 58 minutes 15 seconds, good enough for 39th spot overall in a field of 5,705 runners. He topped that a couple years later with a time of 2:53 at the Sacramento Marathon.
In 2009 he placed 13th in his age class in his first attempt at the epic Subaru Ironman Canada triathlon in Penticton, completing the 3.8-kilometre swim, 180 km bike ride and 26.2 km run in 12:05:38.
"Joe was an phenomenal runner, he was like a gazelle," said Rowe.
"He was obviously an athlete. He had tremendous speed, tremendous endurance and about eight years ago he transferred to doing more triathlons. When he was in Australia he really got involved in triathlon events and the training involved in that. Of all his disciplines, his swimming was the least of his capabilities but he persevered and improved it dramatically over the years."
As the enthusiastic leader of the Prince George team in the 2003 K-100 Kananaskis Relay, 100-mile race over steep highway terrain in Alberta, he rallied his 10-member group to silver-medal finish.
"He was a great team captain for four years, he was always upbeat and very friendly, a very gentle, nice person," said Margaret Jones-Bricker. "It's tremendously sad. It was just a freak accident."
Originally from New Westminster, Kelly was an avid soccer player and loved to share the field with his North Cariboo Senior Soccer League buddies on the RBC Kickers masters division team. He and Rowe traveled to the Euro 2008 soccer championship in Austria and Switzerland.
Kelly also loved to cross-country ski and was a regular on the slopes at Otway Nordic Centre.
Paige Howat was Kelly's training partner on early-morning runs and she remembers the laughs they had together swapping stories about their families. She kept in touch with him through email and was looking forward to his return to Prince George in October, knowing he'd be in top-notch shape after living in a triathlon-friendly climate.
"[He was] one of those perfect people who don't judge, talk nasty or ever say unkind things," said Howat. "They make you feel optimistic, like you can conquer anything and always put a smile on your face. He was an amazing man, just a genuine, giving guy.
"I couldn't wait for him to come back."
Kelly was active as a volunteer instructor in the YMCA Learn-to-Run clinics and was a tireless fundraiser for the CIBC Run for the Cure breast cancer run. He leaned on his fellow employees at Canfor and his vast network of friends to raise more than $100,000 over the years for that event.
"He was always super-positive and very giving of his time to help out at events," said Cory Watts. "He was quite accomplished as a runner and I think he was getting better as he got older."
Kelly is survived by his wife, daughter Jenn and her three children in Prince George, and his other daughter Kerry in Kamloops, who has two children. Both girls flew to Australia last week following the accident and were by his bedside when he died.
Joe and Laura's 24-year-old daughter Sarah was killed in a traffic accident on North Nechako Road in April 2009.
