John G Kelleher

John Kelleher, known as Jack or Doc to many of his friends, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 8, 1935 and died surrounded by his family on February 4, 2025 at the age of 89. He was the son of John and Mary Ellen (McSwain) Kelleher and the stepson of Arthur “Red” Carroll. He is remembered with love by Sharon, his wife of 47 years; his daughters, Christy (Thomas) Cook, Jill (Donald) Wallace, and Megan (Daniel Lorsch) Kelleher; his niece Erin (Connor) Jackson; and his great-niece Margot Jackson and great-nephew Teddy Jackson. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Patricia Byrnes Kelleher.

John was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a proud lifelong law enforcement officer, first in Chicago and then in Sarasota County, Florida. He was also a blue voter and a longtime vocal critic of corrupt, excessive and prejudicial policing. As a teenager he often skipped school in favor of exploring the exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry, and he began his lifelong pastime of rebuilding cars before he could legally drive. He loved science and history and had a vast knowledge of UFO cases and lore. He was also an avid sailor, both on Lake Michigan and in the Gulf of Mexico. John expertly repaired and maintained all of his household’s cars, computers, electronics and appliances, and he also painstakingly sewed his family’s missing buttons, restored their jewelry, polished their leather goods, removed their stains and mended their torn clothes, all without being asked. He often created beautiful, useful handmade objects out of metal, wood and other media for his loved ones. He was an open-minded fan of music and had a diverse collection of rock and classical vinyl.

John literally would not hurt a fly—nor a spider, snake, dolphin or any of the other wild creatures he encountered; in Sarasota he was frequently seen stopping traffic in his squad car in order to usher a tortoise to safety on the other side of the road, or admonishing passing power boaters who were endangering wildlife with their excessive speed. John was a devoted and indulgent dog dad to the many greyhounds he adopted over the years with his wife Sharon, and a proud father to his three daughters, often saying that they were superior to any son.

He was exceptionally loyal and excessively modest, and he saw the best in all those around him. John kept his singular ingenuity, wit, curiosity, sweetness and loving nature to the end of his days.

Services will be private.