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Joseph Thomas Kelsey
Feb. 3rd 1920 - June 30 1955
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Joe at
Bond lake park June 14th 1940

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Joesph Thomas Kelsey

* In the 1940 census Joe is not married
** On Joe's draft card 1941 in is married

The marriage must have been just after the 1940 census but before his draft card registration date of July 1941  ** I just found an almost unreadable page which says they were married June 1941.

He marries Paluette C. Gardner. She was Born 26 May 1920.

Paulette's Parents:
Paul J. Gardner was a French Canadian.  Her mother's name is Nora (Murphy) Gardner. in a buffalo 1930 census. There is a 15 year difference in their ages. Paul had at least 5 kids, Paulette was the oldest. They were living just north of Buffalo. The age difference holds true in the 1925 census also.
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** 1940 census Paulette was 19 living on 5 Elsie Place which is just north of Buffalo.
** 1940 Joe was living with his parents 176 Crystal Ave age 20.

Their children where:
Micheal born about 1943 (personal note, Michael is the father of Renae Kelsey)
Kathy born about 1949 

(Note Joe's daughter Kathy died around 2016) in PA, I am told she never had child of her own.  (I met Kathy 2 times here in Buffalo. She was a FB of mine)

The 1953 City directory has him as "patrolman" and living at 358 Riley St Buffalo. (N. Buffalo, way away from the rest of the family)

In the 1925 census Paulette's father is 39 and Nora is 24

In the 1930 census
Paul's listed Immigration year is "1915"
And are you Naturalized? "Alien"



Paul J. Gardner is 44, Born in Canada native tongue is French. Wife Nora is 29 and born in New York.
Children are:
Paulette
Norman
Richard
Roger
Patrick

Joe died June 1955 at age 35

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Joe's wife's parents (The Gardners)

John and Elizabeth Kelsey and Paul Gardner (March 17th 1886 to July 25th 1959 and Nora (Murphy) Gardner (June 16th 1900 to March 29th 1960. Photo date 1941.

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(Trained as a gunnery in the Air Force but stayed in the States)

Married Paulette Gardner about 1940 (After Joes death Paulette married Bob Lang)

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Back of photo says:

1942 Joe and Paulette in middle.

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Top row: 
Pat, Dan, Frank, Lillian (Kelsey) Ferguson, Eileen, ? , Shirley Dolores's sister, ?.

Bottom row:
Marie (Kelsey) Marong, John Kelsey, Elizabeth Kelsey, Dick and wife Dolores M. (Shea) Kelsey, the next 2 people??, and Joe last.

Photo date May 11th 1946

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The family story is that Joe just went through a Police Department physical and was cleared. My cousin Kathy was the one who found him on the bathroom floor dead. She would have been 6 or 7 years old at the time.

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Sept 12th 1947

Joe on left
Frank?
Pat?
Who??

Joe as Buffalo Policeman
March 28th 1952

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Paulette with either Michael (born 1943)
or  Kathy (born 1949)

- Joseph's Children -
 1) Michael Joseph Kelsey
Born February 23, 1943 in Buffalo, N.Y. 

Died May 26, 1997. Buried in Spokane, Washington.
Married Jeannie Bratley.  (her DOB  is May 2, 1942). Their Daughter is ReNea Kelsey. 

2) Kathy Kelsey Add info here:

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1950 census

Joe (30)  was working at the steel plant? Before he became a Buffalo cop. Paulette (29) Son Michael (7) and daughter Kathy (1) are in this census.

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1953 City directory

Both John and Elizabeth are listed on 105 Columbus st and Joe and Paulette are on 358 Riley and a patrolman

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circa 1954

Joseph and daughter Kathy.
Such a cute picture.

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Joe is buried in Cheektowaga, New York

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Paulette remarried.

Kathy Leaycraft was a FB friend of mine till she passed around 2016.

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1925 census

Paulette's (5yo) parents- Father Paul was French Canadian and worked as a painter age 39 and mother Nora is 24.

1671 Jefferson Ave. Buffalo.

 

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Paulette's parents:
Father Pauls death unknown

Mother Nora dies May 1st 1938

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