Obituary for Dugald "Doug" Kell Sr.
Ellsworth
Dugald (Doug) Kell Sr., 92, died peacefully on October 29, 2022. He was born in Red Bank, NJ, on May 10, 1930, the son of Copeland Kell II and Jean Bruyere Kell. He was married for 60 years to Liliane Kell, the love of his life, who predeceased him in 2016.
Doug grew up on the Jersey shore, in Brielle and Allenwood, and spent some of his early years in Beaufort, NC. He graduated from Manasquan High School (NJ) in 1947 and a year later from NC State Marine Engineering Technical School in Morehead City, NC. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict, stationed in Georgia and Japan.
During his lifetime he did many things and had amazing adventures. He was a boat captain, sportfishing guide, private pilot, pre-NASCAR race car driver, sailor, inventor, as well as the founder and president of Kelco Industries. The retelling of his adventures in the Air Force and on the stock car racing circuit from NC to FL are best kept among close friends and family. However, it is known that he raced at Daytona once, when the course was still on the beach, but not under his own name so it is therefore not in the record books.
At the age of 14, Doug escaped the family farm to work as a deckhand on deep-sea sportfishing boats working out of the Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey. He eventually became a licensed boat captain and worked for more than 25 years, from Cape Cod to the Florida Keys, taking people sport fishing for tuna and bluefish. Most of his fishing was out of Brielle, NJ, where he and his family had their home. Among his adventures at sea was a close encounter with a great white shark, surviving a “perfect” storm while at sea, and rescuing two fishermen whose boat had been run over by a cargo ship in the fog.
In 1955, Doug made his first trip to downeast Maine to buy Christmas trees to sell in New Jersey, thus founding Kelco Industries and a second source of income to supplement his career in fishing. He soon started buying wreaths from local wreathmakers, and in 1962 he bought the old Milbridge schoolhouse as a home base and wreath shop. It remains the headquarters for Kelco Industries today, where the company manufacturers and distributes tools and supplies for making wreaths, growing Christmas trees, and retailing both trees and wreaths.
Doug was one of the pioneers of mail order wreaths in Maine, founding Sunrise County Evergreens in 1964 as a subsidiary of Kelco Industries. In 1976, he ended his fishing career to grow these businesses and moved his family to live full time in Maine, living first in Brewer before relocating to Ellsworth in 1995. He not only innovated and supplied the Christmas tree and wreath industry but also promoted that industry at the local, state and national level.
At home Doug was a devoted husband and father. He fell in love at first sight with his wife Liliane, and together they raised their family of five children. They were leaders in Scout troops and served on committees supporting their children's music programs. Doug and Liliane had many friends with whom they frequently socialized, and enjoyed hosting them at their home. They also loved to travel and visited Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Panama, as well as their favorite places in the Carribean and the French Riviera.
Doug is survived by children Dugald Kell Jr. and his wife Jeannie of Surry, Philip Kell and his partner Debbie Thompson of Bernard, Eric Kell and his wife Deborah of Newburyport, MA, and Carol-Lee Elkington and her husband Christian of Kennebunkport; eight grandchildren, Ryan Kell, Christian Elkington, Braden Kell, Rebecca Kell, Ethan Kell, Tyler Elkington, Emma Kell, and Elizabeth Elkington; and sister Rosalie Kell of Bernard and her son, his nephew William Pearce. In addition, Doug is survived by Janet Kiely, who was always considered by Doug and Liliane as a daughter, and her husband David, of Brick, NJ, as well as their children, Michele and Melissa, and their families. Doug was predeceased by his wife Liliane, his daughter Michèle, brothers Copeland III (Skip), Ronald (Geoff), Jerome (Jere), and infant sisters Jean and Marie.
Contributions in Doug's memory may be made to Rotary Club of Ellsworth (Rotary HCTC Scholarship), P.O. Box 741, Ellsworth, ME 04605, or to Maine Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 606, Gorham, ME 04038.
In lieu of a formal service, Doug's family will host a memorial reception to be held Sunday, November 13th, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., at Schooner Gallery in Milbridge.
Arrangements are in the care of Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin Street, Ellsworth. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
Dugald (Doug) Kell Sr., 92, died peacefully on October 29, 2022. He was born in Red Bank, NJ, on May 10, 1930, the son of Copeland Kell II and Jean Bruyere Kell. He was married for 60 years to Liliane Kell, the love of his life, who predeceased him in 2016.
Doug grew up on the Jersey shore, in Brielle and Allenwood, and spent some of his early years in Beaufort, NC. He graduated from Manasquan High School (NJ) in 1947 and a year later from NC State Marine Engineering Technical School in Morehead City, NC. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict, stationed in Georgia and Japan.
During his lifetime he did many things and had amazing adventures. He was a boat captain, sportfishing guide, private pilot, pre-NASCAR race car driver, sailor, inventor, as well as the founder and president of Kelco Industries. The retelling of his adventures in the Air Force and on the stock car racing circuit from NC to FL are best kept among close friends and family. However, it is known that he raced at Daytona once, when the course was still on the beach, but not under his own name so it is therefore not in the record books.
At the age of 14, Doug escaped the family farm to work as a deckhand on deep-sea sportfishing boats working out of the Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey. He eventually became a licensed boat captain and worked for more than 25 years, from Cape Cod to the Florida Keys, taking people sport fishing for tuna and bluefish. Most of his fishing was out of Brielle, NJ, where he and his family had their home. Among his adventures at sea was a close encounter with a great white shark, surviving a “perfect” storm while at sea, and rescuing two fishermen whose boat had been run over by a cargo ship in the fog.
In 1955, Doug made his first trip to downeast Maine to buy Christmas trees to sell in New Jersey, thus founding Kelco Industries and a second source of income to supplement his career in fishing. He soon started buying wreaths from local wreathmakers, and in 1962 he bought the old Milbridge schoolhouse as a home base and wreath shop. It remains the headquarters for Kelco Industries today, where the company manufacturers and distributes tools and supplies for making wreaths, growing Christmas trees, and retailing both trees and wreaths.
Doug was one of the pioneers of mail order wreaths in Maine, founding Sunrise County Evergreens in 1964 as a subsidiary of Kelco Industries. In 1976, he ended his fishing career to grow these businesses and moved his family to live full time in Maine, living first in Brewer before relocating to Ellsworth in 1995. He not only innovated and supplied the Christmas tree and wreath industry but also promoted that industry at the local, state and national level.
At home Doug was a devoted husband and father. He fell in love at first sight with his wife Liliane, and together they raised their family of five children. They were leaders in Scout troops and served on committees supporting their children's music programs. Doug and Liliane had many friends with whom they frequently socialized, and enjoyed hosting them at their home. They also loved to travel and visited Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Panama, as well as their favorite places in the Carribean and the French Riviera.
Doug is survived by children Dugald Kell Jr. and his wife Jeannie of Surry, Philip Kell and his partner Debbie Thompson of Bernard, Eric Kell and his wife Deborah of Newburyport, MA, and Carol-Lee Elkington and her husband Christian of Kennebunkport; eight grandchildren, Ryan Kell, Christian Elkington, Braden Kell, Rebecca Kell, Ethan Kell, Tyler Elkington, Emma Kell, and Elizabeth Elkington; and sister Rosalie Kell of Bernard and her son, his nephew William Pearce. In addition, Doug is survived by Janet Kiely, who was always considered by Doug and Liliane as a daughter, and her husband David, of Brick, NJ, as well as their children, Michele and Melissa, and their families. Doug was predeceased by his wife Liliane, his daughter Michèle, brothers Copeland III (Skip), Ronald (Geoff), Jerome (Jere), and infant sisters Jean and Marie.
Contributions in Doug's memory may be made to Rotary Club of Ellsworth (Rotary HCTC Scholarship), P.O. Box 741, Ellsworth, ME 04605, or to Maine Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 606, Gorham, ME 04038.
In lieu of a formal service, Doug's family will host a memorial reception to be held Sunday, November 13th, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., at Schooner Gallery in Milbridge.
Arrangements are in the care of Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin Street, Ellsworth. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.