Ode to Sean Kelly

Nov. 14, 2014

Today I lost a good friend, and the world lost a fine man! Sean Kelly, to me, was the Voice of America, for whom he worked for many years in Africa. Sean, at 6’5” (?) had the stature and deep resonant voice of the radio. Always accompanied by that smile, which hid a warm but intellectually challenging sense of humor, Sean could tell a familiar story in a new way. There was always the feel of adventure when Sean launched into his stories – he had been places that you had never heard of, but the familiar liberal theme always found its way through, and there was always a touch of “naughtiness.”

I never knew Sean before Helen, their names were always said together. I gather he had quite a lively life in the “good old days” but my image of Sean was driving in the convertible with Helen on the way to the store, with a dog hanging out the back and Sean looking a little big for the car, and Helen looking a little small next to him. But you never messed with Helen either, as strong mentally as Sean was physically, Helen was the boss; they were a perfect match. Referring to each other as “Dear”, which they obviously were to each other.

And what a life Helen and Sean found together, being bi-Capal, traveling from Cape Town to Cape Cod and back with their menagerie twice a year. If you only knew one of their Capes, you had to visit the other in order to understand the full Sean and Helen. Africa is an integral part of each of them, and their home perched overlooking the Lion’s Head in Cape Town; their familiarity with a very different culture; Eunice, who was really in charge, all showed a different life than they lived in Cotuit. Sean will be laid to rest in Africa, where his heart lies, although it will always be with Helen…

I’ll miss that warm, deep voice; his brilliant bar-tending abilities; his storytelling; his gentlemanliness; his humanity. It will be hard to say “Helen” without “Sean.” RIP Sean, may the fair winds blow you to a peaceful resting spot in your beloved Africa.

Here is a biography from Sean’s book, “Chasing Chaos: A Foreign Correspondent’s Memoir’

Sean Kelly covered rebel conflicts in Africa, civil wars in Indochina, peace talks in the Middle East and the downfall of the President of the United States in Washington.He was ambushed in Zimbabwe and death-listed in El Salvador. But not all of his career was spent chasing chaos. He also went to the Seychelles Islands to report on the first flight of the Space Shuttle and to South Africa for the presidential campaign and election of Nelson Mandela.

Between deadlines, there was time for humor, compassion, good food and wine, even romance along the way.

Born and raised in California, Kelly reported for the Voice of America, the Associated Press and several other new organizations during a forty-year professional career in journalism. He worked in print, radio and television. His books include “Access Denied: the Politics of Press Censorship’, and “America’s Tyrant: the CIA and Mobutu of Zaire”.

He and his wife Helen Picard divide the year between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Cape Town, South Africa.