About Gregory Kelley
Lived 1944 – 1961 (aged 16). Gregory Kelley was an American figure skater.
Gregory Eric "Greg" Kelley (May 19, 1944 – February 15, 1961) was an American figure skater who competed in men's singles. He won the junior title at the 1959 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and finished ninth at the 1960 World Figure Skating Championships after the top three U.S. skaters skipped the event. In 1961, he won the silver medal at the U.S. Nationals and the bronze at the North American Figure Skating Championships.
Kelley was the youngest of eight siblings. His parents were Dr. Vincent Kelley, who was a top surgeon in Boston, and his wife Nathalie. Kelley began skating at age eight after attending a learn-to-skate program at Boston's skating club. As a teenager, he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to train with Edi Scholdan at the Broadmoor Figure Skating Club. His older sister, Nathalie, took leave from her job as a high school science teacher to move to Colorado and serve as Kelley's chaperone. Aside from his figure skating career, Kelley's ambition was to be a doctor like his father. Kelley was a member of the American Numismatic Association and, as of 1961, had the world's largest collection of three-dollar bills. Kelley owned 42 of the 65 three-dollar bills that were known to exist.
Kelley was en route to the World Championships in 1961 when his plane (Sabena Flight 548) crashed near Brussels, Belgium, killing all on board. He was 16 at the time of his death. His 29-year-old sister, Nathalie, who accompanied her brother on the flight as a chaperone, was also killed in the crash.
On January 28, 2011, Kelley was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame as part of the 1961 World Team.
Competitive highlights Event 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 World Championships 9th North American Championships 3rd U.S. Championships 1st N. 2nd J. 1st J. 5th 2nd N = Novice level; J = Junior level
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Important facts
People in Gregory Kelley's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Frequently asked questions
Who was Gregory Kelley?
figure skater (1944–1961)
When was Gregory Kelley born?
Gregory Kelley was born on 19 May 1944 in Newton.
When did Gregory Kelley die?
Gregory Kelley died on 15 February 1961 in Brussels.
What was Gregory Kelley's occupation?
Gregory Kelley was a figure skater.
What nationality was Gregory Kelley?
Gregory Kelley was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gregory Kelley. https://biography.guide/gregory-kelley/
MLA: "Gregory Kelley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gregory-kelley/.
Chicago: "Gregory Kelley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gregory-kelley/.
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