John “Jay” Kiely of Wellfleet died peacefully on Feb. 13, 2024 after one day in hospice at the McCarthy Care Center in Sandwich. The cause was cancer, which Jay had long fought with great fortitude. He was 61.
The son of William and Ann Kiely, Jay was born on Feb. 9, 1963 in Burlington, where he grew up with his older siblings, Billy and Barbara. He enjoyed playing basketball and baseball with Billy, and his active childhood included skiing with friends, camping and chatting around the campfire late into the night, and going to concerts.
In high school, his friends said, it was always clear when Jay was at an event because of his infectious laugh and the crowd gathered around him. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1981.
Jay earned his commercial driver’s license and pursued a career delivering fuel. Handy with tools, he also worked in construction. He was especially skilled in carpentry and often picked up odd jobs as a handyman.
When Jay relocated with his children to Provincetown in 2008, his daughter Rachael and Chelsea Roderick became close friends. After her divorce, Chelsea’s mother, Jill, got together with Jay. They lived in Truro and later in Orleans, finally settling in a house in the Wellfleet woods in 2013.
One day in 2021, they “looked at each other,” Jill said, and decided to marry. The wedding took place on April 26 in the West End Beach parking lot, officiated by Provincetown Justice of the Peace Rachel Peters.
Jay worked for a time as a chef at Bocce’s in Wellfleet, then worked at Land’s End Marine Supply in Provincetown until cancer disabled him. He had, wrote Carolyn Lindstrom in an online tribute, “a heart of gold and was one of the funniest people I ever met.”
Jay took pleasure in the quiet of the Wellfleet woods, where he often walked his dogs, Caesar and Jackie. He was also an enthusiastic football fan and watched the Patriots faithfully each Sunday during the season; when they were in the Super Bowl, he hosted watch parties at his home.
Jay “was so understanding,” Jill said. “He was very protective and always proud of his kids. He was just a good guy.”
Jay is survived by his wife, Jill Kiely of Orleans; his children, Rachael Kiely of San Diego, Calif., John “JJ” Kiely, Jessica Bocchino of Malden, Dessia Kiely of Connecticut, and stepdaughter Chelsea Roderick of Provincetown; and by his nieces, Jamie, Sarah, Carla, and Stasia.
He was predeceased by his parents and by his sister, Barbara (Kiely) Gerardi.
Jay’s funeral will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 2 at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown. Burial will follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jay’s name to the American Cancer Society at donate.cancer.org.
