Kelly E. Johnson

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Kelly E. Johnson ("Kell Bell"), born November 7, 1949, who passed away at home on September 6, 2026. In his final days and moments, he was surrounded by those who loved him most.

Kelly grew up in Salt Lake City in a military family alongside his brothers, Lynn and Keith, and his sisters, Nancy and Judy, as well as a large extended family. He was very close to his cousins, aunts, and uncles, and shared endless stories of his time with them. He joined the Marines after high school, which was one of his proudest achievements—you rarely saw him without a Marine hat on. He worked for Kennecott his entire career before retiring to pursue his passions. He spent those years with his love, Sherry, and his family, doing what he loved most: fishing, thrifting, metal detecting, puttering around his yard and house, and expanding his vast nutcracker collection.

Anyone who knew Kelly will tell you he was full of life and energy. He was the kindest, purest soul you could ever meet; he treated everyone as a friend and would give anything he owned to help someone in need. He truly made a lasting impact on the lives of everyone he met.

Kelly is preceded in death by his wife and soulmate, Sherry; his daughter, Shawnie; his parents, Nola and Darrel; his parents-in-law, Peggy and Sterling; his brother-in-law, Mike; and his siblings, Nancy, Lynn, Keith, and Judy.

He is survived by his children, Dana, Jared, and Misty (Robert); 14 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

After Sherry's passing, he formed an incredible bond with his children and grandchildren: Misty, his life coordinator; Robert, his best friend and fishing buddy; and his grandchildren: Jake, his roommate who watched over him lovingly and protected him; Megan and Max who were his bowling league buddies and so much more; Danyel, his fellow Star Trek enthusiast; Emma, his shopping buddy; Dylan, his fellow oddity collector; Madison, his CNA, hygiene,  expert, and seamstress; Dana who trained her and Alex, his landscaping expert and fellow thrifter.

We want to thank everyone he met along the way. Please know that he cherished every moment he spent with all of you. A special thank you to Utah Home Health and Hospice, as well as Janene Fontaine at HMHI Geriatric Psychiatry, for their loving care of Kelly.

In lieu of a traditional funeral, Kelly preferred a celebration of life. We will be gathering to celebrate him on Saturday, September 12, 2026, 12:00-2:00 pm at the LDS church located at 5176 Parr Dr west Jordan 84081.