Officer John Kelley died as a result of complications of Spanish Influenza due to an outbreak at the 9th Police District on Magnolia Avenue. He was survived by his wife, Minnie, and son, John H.

A week earlier, ten officers attached to the 7th Police District were stricken at the same time. Officer Ude, Officer Mandeville, Officer Simunek and John Kelley, were among the officers that died due to the outbreak. These three officers died within 24 hours of each other in November. A fourth officer, John T. Kelley of the 9th District, died on October 15, 1918. At the time of their deaths, the St. Louis Police Department was 175 officers short due to World War I and the Spanish Influenza.

Officer Kelley served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and was assigned to the 9th Police District. He was survived by his wife, Minnie, and son. Interred: Calvary Cemetery.

From 1918 to early 1919, the Spanish Flu pandemic infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.