My half-brother, Mike Kelim, class of 69, he drowned in a swimming accident in Washington while on vacation with his wife and son. He died June 21, 1974
   ~ Mark May [1/18/09]

Mike was aspiring to be a writer and wrote many short stories and was working on a novel when he passed.

He joined the Army with his best friend, Duane Waldron (RIP) on what as known as the "Buddy System", where the completed training together and then all duty assignments. Unfortunately, Duane missed leaving for Vietnam on the assigned date and they were separated. Mike completed two tours in Vietnam and was stationed near Fort Ord, California and then in Washington near Yakima where he met his wife, Edna Caraway (RIP).

Mike and Edna married in Yakima after he was discharged from the Army. They moved to Hawthorne where their son, Jason, was born there. Two months after Jason was born, they were on vacation in Washington so all of Edna's family could meet their bouncing baby boy. Mike met up with a couple of his Army buddies and went on a hike above Rimrock Lake. After their hike, they went swimming in the lake where two of the three cramped up and Mike was too far out and drowned.