Raymond John Kelly, who was born in 1927, was encouraged by his grandmother during the mid-late 1930’s to explore the world of stamp collecting. Ray was educated at the South Melbourne and Footscray Technical Schools, before being employed as an Engineering/Planning Draftsman with Olympic Tyre Co, later as Chief Draftsman with the Australasian Petroleum Co in Port Morseby.  A resident of Papua from 1949 to 1958, Ray joined the Papuan Philatelic Society in its foundation year - 1954 - his first introduction to organised philately.  He became that society’s Secretary in 1958 (until 1958) and was its president between 1966 and 1970.  Ray was editor of PPS Stamp News from 1955 to 1957 and again from 1963 to 1971.  He is an author of numerous articles on PNG philately and received that society’s Award of Merit in 1976 for services to society.

Ray has formed and continues to form key collections in several areas including traditional Papua (gold medal and special prize at Adelaide 1972), Port Phillip District Postal History (gold medal and special prize at New Zealand 1986), Papua-New Guinea Airmails (gold medal and special prize at Chicago 1992), Advertising by Post (social philately) (gold medal and special prize at Western Australia 1994), Havelock-Fosters (one frame) (diamond and special prize at New Zealand 1996) and Denmark Postcards (postal stationery) (gold medal and special prize at Fremantle Stampshow 1997).

Since that time, Ray Kelly has worked tirelessly for philately. He was dedicated 44 years of service to the hobby which covers a broad spectrum of philately; administration of clubs, State and National level teaching, training, philatelic study and research while forming several distinguished philatelic collections, together with judging and exhibiting.

In Australia, Ray was a member of the Ballarat Philatelic Society, serving on its committee from 1960 to 1970.  He held the position of President from 1961 to 1963 and was one of the chief planners and organisers of the 1965 Victorian Philatelic Council Congress in 1965 and the 1972 Jubilee Exhibition.  He was the society’s delegate to the Victorian Philatelic Association from 1961 to 1966 and the Youth Club convenor in 1963 and 1964.  Ray also arranged and presented a thirty minute monthly program for Youth Philately on BTV6 during 1964 and 1965.

Ray Kelly has also been a member of the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria since 1966 and has held a number of important roles over the last thirty two years including VPC delegate from 1984 to 1987, Curator of the Forgery Collection from 1978 to 1986, and has been a member of the Publications Committee since 1987.

Ray Kelly has previously been a member of the Australasian Stamp Dealers Association between 1970 and 1994 and a Committee member of that organisation during the period 1971-1987.  He was Treasurer from 1971 to 1975 and later President between 1977 and 1979.

Ray’s many other services to philately include member of the Australian Philatelic Federation from 1986 to 1991 (as an ASDA delegate), and then from 1992 to 1997 as an Executive Committee member.  He was President of the APF between 1993 and 1995.

Ray has also been an integral part of major exhibitions within Australia and overseas.  He was President of Stampshow Melbourne 1991 and Melbourne 96, both national exhibitions as well as Vice President of Stampshow 94.  He was editor of the catalogue and responsible for the layout and design of the Stampshow Melbourne 89.  He was involved in various sub-committees of Ausipex 1984 and is currently an Organising Committee member of Australia 99.  Much of Ray’s contributions to the design and development of philatelic products may not be known to many, but Ray has been behind number items such as the 1965 VPA Congress envelope, the 1991 Melbourne national exhibition envelope, the 1993 VPC Medallion and Award of Merit Certificate, the 1994 Melbourne exhibition envelopes and medallion, the 1995 APF Philatelic Order Award certificates, the 1995 APF 2-piece National Exhibition medals (currently in use), the 1996 Melbourne exhibition souvenir envelope and the 1997 APF Research Medallion and Certificate (original concepts).

Ray has judged at a total of 17 national philatelic exhibitions in Australia and on six occasions internationally including Melbourne (1984), Bangkok (1989), Kuala Lumpur (1992), Singapore (1995), Honk Kong (1997) and Adelaide - FIAP (1986).  He has been national jury chairman on three occasions - in Melbourne in 1989, 1994 and 1996 and been a state commissioner to national exhibitions in Brisbane in 1982 and 1985.