Brian D. Kellett Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Brian Delloyd Kellett, 51, of Memphis, was peacefully released from his broken body on Sunday, September 13, at home, surrounded by his family. He was born in Camden, N. J., the son of Carol and Dr. Gary Kellett. When Brian was four, the family moved to Memphis, which he would be forever proud to call home. Brian was a 1988 graduate of Christian Brothers High School, where he excelled in wrestling, winning 10 first places during his sophomore, junior and senior years, and going to state his senior year. He was also named to the Memphis All Metro Wrestling Team for 1987-88. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1993, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. In 1994, he earned a master's degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Houston. During these years, he had the opportunity to gain experience in the hospitality industry in both London and Hawaii. After college, Brian worked in hotel sales in Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta, but he returned to Memphis in 1998 to accept a position with Flanagan Instruments, selling neurosurgical microscopes. It was an ideal opportunity to work side by side with his dad in the operating room. Medical sales proved to be a perfect fit for him for the rest of his career. In 2006, Brian fulfilled an entrepreneurial desire when he started Kellett Medical, LLC, where his positive attitude, ingenuity, and drive helped him establish a capital equipment distributorship that flourished for a decade. At the time of his death, he was employed by Smith & Nephew as Account Manager for Advanced Wound Care - BioTissue. Brian was a member of First Baptist Church of Memphis, where he was a member of the Connect Four Sunday School Class and served as an endowment trustee. He also volunteered in the medical startup accelerator Zeroto510, where he served as a mentor to medical device innovators and entrepreneurs. Through this, he served as a consultant to Somavac, a Memphis-based company that developed a surgical drain pump capable of continuous suction to guard against infection. Brian had an abiding passion for cars -- all kinds of cars -- but especially Porsches. And while he enjoyed the hunt and purchase of a different car, the thing that most enhanced that interest was racing. He was a recreational racing enthusiast. After demonstrating his skills on the track, Porsche Club of America certified him as an Expert Driver. Throughout his life, he owned 37 cars. Never one to sit still or enjoy a lazy afternoon, Brian was an avid hiker, climber, camper and runner. And on many a summer day, he could be found boating on Pickwick Lake, which might include teaching a newbie how to water-ski. Most of these activities usually included one or more of his daughters, along with his many nieces and nephews, whom he also taught wrestling holds and moves. No one could ever claim to be bored when Brian was around. He was always eager to be everyone's game or activity partner. He was presented with difficult experiences throughout his life, beginning as a child. He not only met those challenges, he conquered them, choosing not to use them as excuses but as inspiration to be a better man, an understanding and loving human. Ever since his latest challenge, metastatic melanoma, showed up four years ago in a blitz, Brian fought it courageously and mostly in private, never feeling sorry for himself and always searching for the next answer. Always living each day to the fullest and loving his family all so well. For Brian, family was everything. He and his siblings enjoyed an exceptional bond that grew from their common trials and commitment to one another. He was a husband who exceeded all of Jennifer's dreams, inspiring her to dream even bigger with him. And above all else, he loved being a girl dad to Abby, Catherine and Elizabeth, the lights of his life. Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Carol Kellett and Dr. Gary Kellett; and his grandparents, Eve and Orville "Kel" Kellett, Ruby Clarke (Jess) and Pierce Ketchersid. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Cameron Kellett; and three daughters, Abigail, Catherine and Elizabeth; all of the home. He is also survived by his stepmother, Lisa Barber (Mike), of Jonesboro, Ark.; one brother, Gary Kellett, Jr. (Kellie), of Memphis; two sisters, Sidney McWilliams (Mike), of Ridgeland, Miss., and Dr. Jennifer Giles (Gary), of Dallas; a huge fan club of in-laws, extended family, close friends and colleagues; and 15 nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Gary Kellett, Jr., Ben Cameron, Mike McWilliams, Gary Giles, Richard Wright, David Breckenridge, Greg Davis, and Jonathan Pekar. Honorary pallbearers include Mike Barber, Mike Cameron, John Ford, Ken Cowin, Greer Richardson, David Richardson, Billy Schaffer, Byron Freeman, Perry McCall, John Christianson, Britt Shea, Chris McAfee, Flagg Flanagan, and Sage Hardy. Due to Covid-19, all services will be private, and there will be no visitation. The funeral service will be live-streamed and a link will be provided here: https://www.facebook.com/fbcmemphis For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to First Baptist Church of Memphis (fbcmemphis.org), Methodist Hospice (methodisthealthcare.org), or Melanoma Research Alliance (curemelanoma.org). The family wishes to thank Dr. Michael Martin of The West Clinic for his wonderful care of Brian, as well as Dr. John Brophy for his guidance.

Brian D. Kellett

July 4, 1969 - September 13, 2020