The Mississippi River loses a friend — Tom Kelley

The Mississippi River lost a great friend and champion with the passing of Tom Kelley on July 19th. Kelley, a former Ramsey County Auditor and Saint Paul City Administrator, was a member of Friends of the Mississippi Rivers Council of Advisors and a true visionary who was one of the first public officials to recognize the potential of the river to revitalize Saint Paul and the other fortunate communities through which it flows.

As County Auditor in the late 60s Kelley led the effort to set aside riverfront land for public parks. The 636 acres now known as Lilydale Regional Park was one of Kelley's greatest legacies.

As a private citizen, Kelley was a determined advocate for protection and stewardship of the river's public values. Working with Minnesota's congressional delegation in the late '70s and '80s, Kelley was one of the primary catalysts for designating the Mississippi in the Twin Cities as a national park. In 1988 Congress designated 72 miles of the river in the Twin Cities as the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area — a unit of the National Park Service.

More recently, as an advisor to Friends of the Mississippi River, Kelley and his partner Kathy Stack devoted many hours to advocating for the river on a range of public issues. Kelley was an outspoken opponent of the proposed Bridges of Saint Paul development on Saint Paul's West Side Flats, which he believed would violate years of public planning efforts dedicated to protecting public access and scenic views.

Friends of the Mississippi River's Board of Directors and staff wish to extend their condolences to Tom's family and express their gratitude for the lasting gift of a healthy and vibrant Mississippi River which is part of his legacy.