SNIPPET: Johnny A. KELLEY ("The Elder") died October 6, 2004, at the age of 97. This spry, wiry, elderly gentleman with crinkly eyes and friendly smile has been characterized as the very "heart and soul" of the Boston Marathon, which he last ran in 1992. The eldest child in a large Irish-American family, Johnny finished the Boston Marathon 58 times and won it twice. The West Medford, MA native, son of William, a mailman, and Bertha KELLEY, ran track in high school and later sprinted to and from the Boston Edison plant where he worked as an electrical maintenance worker until 1970. KELLEY made the U.S. Olympic Marathon team and placed 18th at the 1936 Berlin Games. He was drafted into the Army during WWII, but temporarily left his post at Fort McClellan in AL to race in the 1943 Marathan. That year, he completed the 26.2 mile event in 2 hrs. 30 min. - his fastest time. He competed in the 1948 Olympic Games in London and in other long-distance races in many places in! the world. KELLEY won the Boston Marathon in 1935 and 1945; he finished 2nd place seven times. A bronze status of a young KELLEY clasping hands with his octogenarian self was dedicated in 1993 in Newton, MA. Married four times, he outlived all but his last wife, Ginger. They resided in East Dennis. He never fathered any children but is survived by a stepson and many nephews and neices. In 1996 he carried the Olympic torch from NH to MA. He was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame and the Road Runners of America Hall of Fame and a book has been written about his life in the last few years. Interesting story is his father's parents arrived in Boston from Ireland aboard the "S. S. Marathon." Johnny, who had a positive attitude shared with others, "God has been good to me." His favorite song was "Young at Heart," sung by Frank SINATRA.