Ken Kelly passed away peacefully on February 1, 2024. He was born in Sacramento on October 26, 1973 to his mother, Dianne Kelly. He was the youngest of his two siblings, Mark and Kim. He grew up in Sacramento.

Ken spent four years in the United States Navy. He was a proud Seabee.

His only child, Caitlin, was born in 1998. He was a single father devoted to fatherhood. He won father of the year in 2006.

Ken struggled with drug addiction through most of his adult life. Despite this, he always did the best he could for people around him. He cared for his mother until she passed in 2018.

His granddaughter Estelle was born in 2017. From the day she was born, she was always his highest priority. He was the most dedicated grandfather. You could always tell that with everything he did, Estelle was always on his mind.

Ken turned his life around completely. He got clean. In 2020, he moved to Fortuna with his daughter. Shortly after, he got a job at Aegis, the methadone clinic in Eureka. That job was his life. He touched the lives of countless people working in the clinic. Before the cancer diagnosis, Ken was in school to become a drug counselor. His dream was helping others through their struggles just like he had faced.

Ken is predeceased by his mother, Dianne Kelly.

Ken is survived by his brother, Mark Kapogiannis, his sister, Kim Kapogiannis, his daughter, Caitlin Kelly, his son-in-law, Omar Arias, and his granddaughter, Estelle Quinteros.

Ken also leaves behind many friends and coworkers too numerous to name. His coworkers at Aegis, Ramona Arne, Tammy Myers, Kinza Umar, and many others, become a very special part of his life.

Ken touched many lives and will be greatly missed. Cancer took his life way too soon. From his family, to his friends, his coworkers, his patients at work, many people felt Ken’s affect on their lives.

A celebration of life with Navy honors will be held at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 2 p.m. Anybody who knew Ken is welcome to attend.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Ken Kelley’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.