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In Memory of Donald Walter Kelley

Sep 16, 2026

Donald Walter Kelley, 1929-2026


Columbus REALTORS® mourns the passing of Donald Walter Kelley, a respected leader whose vision, service, and generosity left a lasting mark on our association and the City of Columbus. 

Kelley served as President of Columbus REALTORS® in 1984 and was also a past President of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. He began his real estate career with Falco, Smith and Kelley, Ltd., before establishing Donald W. Kelley and Associates, a real estate development, appraisal, and consulting firm. 

Over a friendship and business partnership spanning nearly 60 years, Kelley and Bob Weiler helped shape the Columbus we know today, with work that included Walnut Hills, The Columbus Commons, the Polaris Centers of Commerce, and numerous apartment communities throughout the region. Kelley also partnered with his lifelong friend Bill Lemmon to establish Kelley and Lemmon, Inc., now Oakwood Management Company.

His influence extended well beyond real estate. Kelley served organizations supporting education, health care, housing, and community development, helping bring hospice care to Columbus and playing a role in creating the Reeb Center in South Columbus. He also supported scholarships, rent assistance, and educational programs for Columbus students.  

In 2017, Don quietly supported an anonymous contribution to the Columbus REALTORS® Foundation benefiting the South Side Renaissance, a housing development owned by Community Development for All People. The Columbus REALTORS® Foundation added its own investment, resulting in a combined $300,000 commitment, the largest grant in the Foundation’s history.

At Columbus REALTORS® headquarters, our Boardroom proudly carries his name, a lasting tribute to his leadership, generosity, and legacy within our organization and community .

“Don Kelley represented the very best of our profession and our community. His impact can be seen not only in the neighborhoods and developments he helped create, but in the countless people and organizations he quietly supported along the way. Don understood that true leadership is about leaving your community better than you found it. His simple parting words, ‘Be generous,’ perfectly reflect the life he lived and the legacy he leaves behind,” said Brent Swander, CEO, Columbus REALTORS®"

Kelley was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Nancy. He is survived by his seven children, 26 grandchildren, and 34 great-grandchildren. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those shaped by his leadership.


Parts of this tribute were adapted from Donald Kelley's obituary, published in the Columbus Dispatch on September 15, 2026.

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