Malcolm McLean Kelly: “Wonderful, kind, generous and fun man”
Malcolm McLean Kelly. Source: Montreal Gazette obituary notice
Malcolm McLean Kelly. Source: MCHS 1963-64 yearbook
Montreal Gazette Obituary
The obituary at the Montreal Gazette reads:
Malcolm McLean Kelly 1928 – June 16th 2015 Malcolm Kelly, 86, died on Wednesday, June 16th at the Lakeshore Hospital, after a long and courageous struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He leaves his wife of 61 years, Anna (Wilson) Kelly; his daughters Allison (Nick), Elaine (Duane), and Sandra; his five grandchildren, Meaghan (Chris), Hilary, Ben, Bronwyn and Courtney. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 28th, 2015, at the Sarto Desnoyers Community Centre in Dorval. The family will receive guests between 2 and 5 pm, and remembrances will be shared at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers the family would like to suggest donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research (www.michaeljfox.org)
[End of text]
Message from Soryl Shulman Rosenberg
A message at the above-noted obituary notice from Soryl Shulman Rosenberg reads:
“Wonderful, kind, generous and fun man.”
Bryan Tremblay comments on Facebook:
“My favourite teacher at mchs. Inspired me to pursue science in cegep and at McGill. My sincere condolences to your family. A great leader.”
Michael Rosito comments as well, on Facebook:
“Yes absolutely our favorite teacher.”
Students and Staff Who Have Passed Away
We have added Malcolm McLean Kelly to a page at the MCHS 2015 website entitled: Students and Staff Who Have Passed Away
A number of messages in commemoration of Malcolm McLean Kelly’s life have appeared at Facebook Groups connected with Malcolm Campbell High School.
Obituary at J.J. Cardinal Funeral Home
The obituary at the J.J. Cardinal Funeral Home reads:
Dorval, Quebec – Malcolm McLean Kelly, 86, died on Wednesday, June 16th at the Lakeshore General Hospital, following a long and courageous struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
He leaves his wife of 61 years, Anna (Wilson) Kelly; his daughters Allison (Nick), Elaine (Duane), and Sandra; his five grandchildren, Meaghan (Chris), Hilary, Ben, Bronwyn and Courtney, many close friends and his loyal companion, Robbie.
Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, he emigrated to Canada in 1962, and lived in Dorval until his death.
Malcolm was a high school science teacher. He taught in Scotland until he was recruited by the PSBGM, and came to Malcolm Campbell High School, where he taught for over 25 years, and was Head of the Science Department, until it closed, after which he taught at Sir Winston Churchill until his retirement. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Sir George Williams University in the 1960’, while teaching and raising three children. He went on to earn his Master of Science degree in Chemistry from Concordia University.
Teaching was a vocation for Malcolm, and he inspired many students, through his teaching and his role as producer of many school musicals and talent shows.
Malcolm was very involved in his community, and gave countless hours as a volunteer. He officiated at summer and winter swim meets. He was an avid soccer fan, and served as head referee and then President of the Dorval Minor Soccer Association. He was a great badminton player, and served as president of the Dorval Badminton Club.
Apart from his family, Malcolm also loved tennis, gardening and traveling, and managed to combine tennis and traveling every time he could. He played tennis at the Dorval Tennis Club every summer, and particularly enjoyed the Friday night round robins and the dinners that followed.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 28th, 2015 at the Sarto Desnoyers Community Centre, where he had so many happy moments, including his and Anna’s 25th wedding anniversary party and the weddings of his two daughters, Allison and Elaine, and his granddaughter, Meaghan. The family will receive guests between 2 and 5 pm, and remembrances will be shared at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers the family would like to suggest donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research (www.michaeljfox.org)
[End of text]
I am Malcolm’s daughter, and on behalf of the entire family, I want to thank all the Malcolm Campbell grads who wrote such beautiful and heartfelt messages about him. We always knew that teaching was a vocation and a passion with him, and when we were children, we used to love reading the student comments in his yearbook, because they showed how much he was loved and respected, but this outpouring of emotions and caring have both overwhelmed and comforted us immensely. I think MCHS must have been a wonderful school, and I am so glad that it was my father’s first school when we came here from Scotland, and that he was able to teach there for over 25 years.
I did not have Malcolm McLean Kelly as a teacher, but I find it so inspiring to read your message, Allison. It was teachers like your father that helped to make MCHS the wonderful school that it was. As an MCHS alumnus, I feel so inspired, and so very much comforted, to know about Mr. Kelly’s life, and to know about what a tremendously positive contribution he made in the course of his life – as a teacher, as a cherished member of a family, and as a member of the wider community.
In honour of Mr. Kelly, here is his signature song:
I’ve just come down
From the Isle of Skye
I’m not very big and I’m awful shy
And the lassies shout when I go by
Donald, where’s your troosers
[CHORUS]
Let the wind blow high
Let the wind blow low
Through the streets
In my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers
A lassie took me to a ball
And it was slippery in the hall
And I was feared that I would fall
For I had nae on my troosers
[Repeat CHORUS]
Now I went down to London Town
And I had some fun in the underground
The ladies turned their heads around
Saying, Donald, where are your trousers
[Repeat CHORUS]
To wear the kilt is my delight
It is not wrong I know it’s right
The Highlanders would get a fright
If they saw me in the trousers
[Repeat CHORUS]
The lassies want me every one
Well, let them catch me if they can
You canna take the breaks
If a Highland man
And I don’t wear the troosers
[Repeat CHORUS]
Perhaps the most popular version of the song, sung by Andy Stewart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yw0bLHTOb0
Trivia: In the second verse, instead of “A lassie took me to a ball” Mr. Kelly would sometimes sing “I once came down to Montreal.”
Steven, thank you so very much for sharing those lyrics! I have often sung this song (and sometimes aloud) and realize now that I missed one of the verses. Great job!