Charles H. Kelley Jr.

Charles H. Kelley Jr., 59, of Sparta, passed Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014 at 7:11 p.m. at his home in Sparta, Ill. Charles was born on Nov. 2, 1955 in Belleville, Ill., the son of Charles H. and Mary (Grimm) Kelley. He married Deborah Farthing on Sept. 19, 1975 in Coulterville, Ill.

Charles was a paramedic and the founder of MedStar Ambulance, Inc. He was also the former Mayor of Sparta, Ill.

Charles was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Sparta, the American Ambulance Association of which he was a former member of the Board of Directors, the Illinois State Ambulance Association of which he was a former member of the Board of Directors, the Sparta Rotary Club, the Sparta Lions Club of which he was a former President, the Sparta Chamber of Commerce, the Randolph County 911 of which he was a founding Board Member, the ARIE Federation of Eagles in Sparta, the International Harvester Club Chapter 32, the Southwestern Illinois Mayor's Association and the Sparta Fire Department from which he was retired.

Charles is survived by his wife, Deborah Kelley of Sparta; children: Charles R. (Amy) Kelley of Sparta and Michael R. (Kendra) Kelley of Sparta; grandchildren: Victoria Kelley, Matthew Kelley, Andrew Kelley and Jayden Kelley and brother: John Kelley Sr. of Sparta.

Charles was preceded in death by his father, Charles H. Kelly Sr. and mother, Mary H. Grimm Kelley Farthing.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday Nov. 25, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Sparta with the Rev. Gary L. Feldman officiating. Burial will follow at Caledonia Cemetery in Sparta. Visitation will be at the First United Methodist Church of Sparta where friends may call on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until the hour of service. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Sparta, the Mayo Clinic Foundation or the Belleville Memorial Foundation. To sign the guest book online visit www.wilsonsfuneralhome.net.