60s DEVELOPER, DEMOCRATIC POWERHOUSE PASSES ON

Longtime developer and Democratic activist Scott Kelly died Sunday at his Lakeland home after a long bout with cancer. He was 77 years of age.

Kelly, who came to Lakeland from north Florida after World War II, started working as a clerk for his brother, an attorney and later Circuit Judge. He later began a development company which was known as one of the first to build affordable subdivisions for the average family.

He eventually entered the political arena, becoming mayor of Lakeland while still in his 20s, and later a state senator. He most notable work while in Tallahassee was chairing the investigative committee during the early 1960s which uncovered alleged payoffs, conflicts of interest, and mismanagement in road construction practices across the state.

Mr. Kelly ran for the Democratic nomination for governor twice, in 1964 and 1966. It was a time when the gubernatorial terms were changed slightly so that elections for the state's highest office would not be at the same time as the presidential election. Kelly lost both times, to Haydon Burns.

Our condolences to his family and acquantances.