John V. Kelly

John Vincent Kelly Sr. (July 11, 1926 – October 30, 2009) was an American Republican Party politician who served as Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey, and served nine terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, before losing two electoral bids to win a seat in the New Jersey Senate.

Early life and education Kelly was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on July 11, 1926 of Irish and Italian descent. He attended St. Nicholas Grammar School and St. Peter's Preparatory School. While in college during the day, he worked at night at the Erie Railroad docks and for the Railway Express Agency. The seat was considered one of the few statewide that could have been a pickup for the Democrats.

In 2003, he challenged Furnari's successor Paul Sarlo of Wood-Ridge, who was elected to replace him in the Assembly in 2001 and who also outspent Kelly by a nearly three-to-one margin in a pivotal race at a time when the Senate was evenly split between the two major parties and a change in party for any one seat could tip control of the upper house.

A longtime fixture at Nutley's St. Patrick's Day festivities, Kelly would wear a bright green suit that had been custom-made for him. He also played a pivotal role in creating that community's Columbus Day parade. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, as well as by two daughters, two sons and 11 grandchildren.