Joseph Clyde Gelmi

Joe was born July 7th, 1942, in Ishpeming, MI to Frank and Thelma (Williams) Gelmi. He was a graduate of the Ishpeming High School Class of 1960. Immediately following graduation, he enlisted into the United States Navy where he retired after 21 years. He served 2 years in Vietnam, 1 year on a river patrol boat and 1 year in Saigon as an instructor. Joe received numerous awards during his 2 tours in Vietnam, the highest being a Bronze Star which came with the combat âVã device for Valor. Joe trained Navy recruits at Great Lakes Naval Base from 1970-1974 where he met the love of his life Kathy Lou Kelly in 1971. They were married on April 28th, 1973. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan their son Frank was born in 1975. Sadly, Kathy passed away on January 10, 2020.

Joe was quite the sports fanatic, especially for baseball. He was a longtime coach for the Racine Baseball Co-Op, Sturtevant Youth Baseball Assn. and other local sports leagues. He began coaching for his son Frank and continued for other family members and friends. Joe never wanted to miss a game. If he wasn’t coaching a game, he was in the stands cheering on the kids. As a youth Joe played baseball, football, and participated in several ski jumping events. While in the Navy, Joe played fastpitch softball and as a pitcher, he had a mean knuckleball.

Surviving is his son and best friend, Frank Gelmi. His sister Kathleen Honkala. Nieces Jodi (Al) Firby and Jeanne (Joe) Voet. Bonus daughter Stephanie Gelmi. Stephanie’s mom Marlene Fink. Stephanie’s brother Bobby. Adopted grandchildren Molly and Luke. The Al Rosenbaum family along with other special family members and friends too numerous to mention all by name.

In addition to his parents and wife, Joe was preceded in death by his brother-in-law Jim Honkala. Services celebrating Joe’s life were held at the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, WI on January 9th, 2026.

Internment with military honors took place at the West Lawn Memorial Park in Racine, WI. Memorials were directed to the Sturtevant Youth Baseball Assn.