Larry Chapman Kelly

(Chef) Larry Chapman Kelly, 60, died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, at his Paradise home just North of Ozark, Ark. A Little Rock native, Chef Larry was born Jan. 17, 1954 and moved to the Arkansas River Valley 14 years ago. His career in the restaurant industry spanned four decades and included leadership positions at Little Rock's City Center Plaza Hotel, where he was Food and Beverage Director; The Little Rock Racquet Club; North Little Rock's Holiday Inn and Don Quixote's Spanish Cuisine. He had served as the Culinary Arts Instructor at Cass Job Corps in Ozark since 2012. Prior to assuming his position with the Job Corps, Chef Larry was Opening Chef for The Lodge at Mount Magazine; Executive Chef at both The Town Club in Fort Smith, Ark. and the Choctaw Casion in Pocola, Okla. and Chef/Owner of Chef Larry's Eclectic Ozark Cuisine in Altus, Ark. A theater arts and voice major, Chef Larry graduated from Little Rock's Central High School before attending Hendrix College in Conway and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was an accomplished musician, serving for a number of years as music director for both Grenades Chapel in White Oak, Ark. and the Altus United Methodist Church and previously, as a tenor soloist at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock. He also was an avid photographer, an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow. He was preceded in death by his father, Harold Clark Kelly, and mother, Alice Wallace Kelly, both longtime residents of Little Rock. Survivors include his wife, Margaret Dornaus Kelly of the home; two sons, Cullen Kelly of Flippin, Ark. and Kenneth Kelly of Springdale, Ark.; two brothers, Clark Kelly of Norman, Okla. and Allen Kelly of Pass Christian, Miss. and three grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Cremation arrangements were under direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Ozark. In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund to assist students enrolled in Culinary training at Cass Job Corps has been created in Chef Larry Kelly's honor. Donations may be made to the Cass Community Relations Scholarship Fund and sent in care of Dustin Jones, Cass Job Corps, 21424 North Highway 23, Ozark, AR 72949.