Kyle Chelius

“You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” Publilius Syrus.

Above all else, he was kind. As a leader in Boy Scouts, Kyle sought to turn young boys into good men. Kyle could connect with the scouts that the others couldn’t. Rather than tell them what to do, he listened intently to find out who they were. As a dad he sought to do the same. He was the kind of dad who’d shovel a walkway for his kids all the way to their school, strip down to his underwear and jump in the snow just to see them smile, and make swords out of PVC to keep them entertained. He was also a father figure to many of his children’s friends, offering them his home and the warmth of his spirit. He was a master naturalist, enthralled by the world around him. Kyle was blessed to have a neighbor who introduced him to bird watching. He’d share his passion with many more, giving tours of the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge and the Cape May Bird Observatory. His favorite bird was the Northern Goshawk. Of course, he always thought that he’d run into Bigfoot or Jersey Devil one day if he wandered around in the wilderness enough. Though his house was in South Harrison, he was just at home watching the sun rise on a mountain peak or casting his eyes on the evening sky. It wasn’t just his birdwatching that he shared: Kyle had a love of all things medieval and loved showing off his armor suits to local schoolchildren and he was active for many years in the Society for Creative Anachronism, recreating medieval battles. His taste in music was eclectic; the more unusual the better. He’d been to hundreds of concerts ranging from Grateful Dead to Pearl Jam to Peter Gabriel and Bowie. Kyle would even go by himself if he couldn’t find someone else to join him. He’d start his career at the Navy Yard using his degree in Naval Architecture but would later segue into the Environmental Protection Agency, proud of the work he’d done keeping people safe from the dangers of lead and cleaning up Superfund sites. He was born and raised in Reading, a graduate of Florida Institute of Technology and had lived in Fishtown and Logan Township before settling his family in South Harrison.
His love of Medieval history paid off in more ways than one. Through his connections he’d meet a pretty girl named Ruthanne. They’d share a 38-year marriage blessed by 4 children; Arianna (Timothy) Zane, Morgan, Hunter (Kevin) Galli and Conor; and later by a grandson, Bennett and there’s a granddaughter, Kaylee on the way (due in December.) He is survived by his mother, Nancy, and his dogs, Hannah and Thatcher. Kyle was pre-deceased by his sister, Jamie Masters and his father James Chelius.
Come celebrate 61 great years, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2-4 p.m. at Daley Life Celebration Studio, Swedesboro where there will be a 4 p.m. service. In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends of Forsythe (friendsofforsythe.org) will be appreciated.