Albert L Kelln

Rear Admiral Albert L. Kelln, United States Navy (Retired) died of natural causes on October 17, 2022, in Ballinger, Texas, at age 92. “Al” was born during the great depression in Shattuck, Oklahoma, on December 17, 1929, to parents David and Eva (Meier) Kelln. After graduation from Shattuck High School, class of 1947, Al attended the University of Oklahoma for one year in a petroleum engineering path before entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He often shared that his Academy highlight was three years as football manager that came with the accompanying privileges of eating steak and traveling with the team. Following his 1952 USNA graduation, Al served 28 years in the U.S. Navy. Initially deployed twice in combat operations on diesel submarines to Korea, Al was then trained by Admiral Rickover as a pioneer in the field of nuclear propulsion for submarines. In 1958-59, he served as weapons and operations officer on the nation’s first fast-attack nuclear submarine. The USS Skate (SSN-578) achieved two epic Arctic voyages, one in summer and one in winter, to learn how to surface through the ice and test other Cold War strategies. As a result, Al became the first person to ever fly over, stand upon, and sail under the ice at the North Pole. As a divergence from submarines, Al was assigned as Chief Engineer aboard nuclear aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) during its overhaul, two Mediterranean Sea deployments, and world circumnavigation (Operation Sea Orbit). This led to his becoming “plank-owner” and Commanding Officer of nuclear attack submarine USS Ray (SSN-653) upon its commissioning in 1966. They conducted multiple North Atlantic Operations, for which Al was awarded his second Navy Commendation Medal and the Ray itself won two prestigious Unit Commendations. After subsequent Submarine Squadron commands, including two years at Holy Loch, Scotland, Al served with Navy Chiefs as Director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Submarine Division and Coordinator of the Trident Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Program during its early development process. Al retired from active duty in August 1980 as a two-star Rear Admiral. He had been the first member in his Academy class to attain admiral flag rank. His career was honored with numerous distinguished and meritorious awards. Upon retirement, Al served as a defense system consultant and founded the Naval Submarine League, serving as its President and on the Board (including Emeritus) for many years. Al’s Navy memorabilia as a Cold War hero is archived at Wolf Creek Heritage Museum in Lipscomb, Texas. Al is survived by his wife Cecily Kelln, four children from a previous marriage to Prudence Lamb: Debbie Donaldson (Tom), Mindy Jensen (Chris), David Kelln, and Beth Brooks (Dave); nine grandchildren: Krista Villali (Jorge), Thomas Donaldson, VI (Lizz), Alex Donaldson (fiancée Lisa), Brad Jensen (Tiva), Collin Jensen, Luke Jensen (Jackie), Haley Jensen (fiancé Zack), Samantha Rullan (Andrew), and Mike Brooks (Talia); three great-grandchildren: Sydney, Avery, and Finley Nixon; also Cecily’s three children: Juniper Ernest (Frank), Sianna McKinley (Ron), Daniel Kushner (Lauren Ng) and eight grandchildren: Kiley, Micah, and Caden Ernest, Collin and Liam McKinley, and Sage, Story, and Canon Kushner. Al is also survived by nieces and nephews Delores Ward (Stanley, deceased), Sandy Kraft (Lucy), Dwight Kelln (Jacquie), Karen Fuqua (Lael), Janice Williams (Wally), Jerald Schoenhals (Karen) and Claudette Ehrlich (Wes, deceased); and many nieces and nephews from the subsequent generations. Al was predeceased by his parents David and Eva (Meier) Kelln; his first wife Prudence Kelln; sisters Cecilia Kraft, Wilma Ehrlich (Wesley), Olivia Kelln Caldwell (Dean), brother David “Dave” Kelln, Jr. (Virginia), infant siblings Victoria (1916) and LeRoy (1922) Kelln; half-sisters Hannah Schwab and Hulda Schoenhals; nephews Wesley “Wes” Ehrlich, Jr., John Schwab, Norman Schoenhals, Kenneth Schoenhals; and nieces Esther Schwab Smartt and Carol Ann Kelln Schnedler. Al married Cecily (Watson) in 2001. They first lived in Kilmarnock, Virginia, where they began thirteen years of care for Cecily’s mother, established a church-based clothes bank, and enjoyed a close group of friends. They also loved gardening, boating, and gill net fishing in creeks off the Chesapeake Bay. In 2005, Al and Cecily moved to Tomball, Texas, and founded a much-welcomed ongoing ministry called Tomball Pregnancy Center which opened in 2007. In 2011, they moved to Llano, Texas, where they raised gardens and livestock for eleven years, and volunteered at Llano Christian Academy and Fuel Coffee House, a Christian-based non-profit establishment. In 2021, they moved to Ballinger, Texas. At age 90, Al wrote and published his memoir “Living the Miracles; A Sailor’s Life in the Nuclear Power Age,” by Albert Lee Kelln. A dedicated Christian and natural-born leader, Al loved to help others. Whether to train sailors, lead Bible classes, demonstrate survival skills, teach physics and family values to children, or tell sea stories, Al poured his heart energetically into all he did. He was a man who never met a stranger and made every store clerk smile. His funeral service will be held at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, MD, at 11:00 am, July 17, 2023, followed by a parade to the cemetery with full military honors. Memorial gifts may be given to Llano Christian Academy using the form found on their website www.llanochristianacademy.org or mailed to Llano Christian Academy, 507 E. Green St., Llano, TX 78643, specifying “LCA Scholarship Fund.” “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. This Bible verse is inscribed on Al’s “Class of 1952 Honor Chair” which can be seen in Alumni Hall auditorium at the U.S. Naval Academy, Section 5 / Row 15 / Seat 4. See if you can find it!