Robert John Kelly, 84, of Batesville, Mississippi passed away peacefully on January 10, 2026, at Providence Assisted Living in Senatobia. Robert is survived by his son, Robert Brian Kelly of High Point, North Carolina, and his grandchildren, Robert Eamon Kelly of High Point, North Carolina and Kora Elise Kelly of Raleigh, North Carolina, and a host of friends.
Robert was born on September 15, 1941, in Hackensack, New Jersey, to William Farley and Helen (Weleck) Kelly. He graduated from Rutgers University in 1965 and headed to Mississippi to attend law school. Robert chose Ole Miss because (1) he wanted to come south; (2) Tulane wouldn’t waive out of state tuition; and (3) Charlie Connerly, Jimmy Patton, and Bookie Bowlin who were all former Ole Miss football players who also played for the New York Giants, Robert’s favorite team.
After graduating from Ole Miss Law School in 1968, Robert went to work for Legal Services Corp. in Oxford, representing criminal defendants, the underserved and underprivileged and handling some of the most significant and impactful desegregation cases of the time. In 1968, blacks and women were not allowed to serve on juries in Mississippi, and Robert Kelly helped to change that.
Robert left Legal Services in 1972, after which he established a private law practice in Oxford before moving to Hernando in 1977. In 1984, Robert was appointed as an Assistant District Attorney prosecuting felony cases in DeSoto, Tate, Panola, Yalobusha, and Tallahatchie Counties. Robert served under three different District Attorneys until his retirement in 2007. His legacy as a persistent, tough, and fair prosecutor lives on in the many young lawyers Robert mentored and in the many lives he touched during his career.
Robert was raised in the Catholic Church in Hackensack. In his later years, he faithfully attended the Batesville Presbyterian Church.
Robert traveled extensively in retirement, visiting all 50 states and all but 5 major league baseball stadiums. Robert loved traveling in Europe, especially Ireland. He loved following his favorite teams, the New York Giants, the New York Yankees, the St. Louis Cardinals, and his beloved Ole Miss Rebels.
There will be a celebration of Robert’s life on February 14th at 3:00 p.m. at the Ice House in Batesville, Mississippi. At Robert’s request, we will gather for a time of “telling tall tales and only the best lies”.
