George W. Kelly, 84, the retired Central School principal who was actively involved in a host of programs for nearly a half-century, died Monday, July 16, at Tracy Convalescent and Rehabilitation Center.

He has been at the convalescent facility for 16 months after suffering a stroke in March 2011.

A memorial service is planned for 10 a.m. Monday, July 30, at the First Presbyterian Church.

He was born Dec. 7, 1927.

Mr. Kelly, for whom George Kelly School is named, was born in Oakland and graduated from Oakland High School. After serving in the Army in Korea during the Korean War, he attended San Francisco State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1952.

He started his teaching career with Oakland Public Schools in 1952, including two years as a teacher in a gifted-students class.

In 1961, Mr. Kelly came to Tracy to become principal of North and West Park schools. After three years, he was named principal of Central School, a position he held for 23 years before retiring in 1987.

During his tenure at Central, “Mr. Kelly,” as all the students called him, developed a noon-time sportsmanship athletic program and bicycle safety and school safety patrol judging programs.

He was chairman of the committee that developed the elementary school district’s G.A.T.E. program for gifted students.

While a school principal and after retiring, Mr. Kelly was an energetic participant and leader in community programs and projects, earning him “Citizen of Year” recognition in 1998.

George Kelly Elementary School in southwest Tracy was dedicated in his name in 2006. He was a frequent visitor at the school. George Kelly Park at Tammi Court and Kelly Street in west Tracy is also named for him.

A longtime member of the Tracy Breakfast Lions Club, he served as club president in 1978. He was also president of the Tracy and San Joaquin County safety councils and was named countywide “Mr. Safety” in 1972.

Mr. Kelly was chairman of the Tracy United Way campaign in 1972 and was chairman of the Tracy Salvation Army Committee for 18 years, during which he was often a Christmastime “bell ringer.” He was an elder of the First Presbyterian Church for 27 years.

As a member of James McDermott Post, American Legion, he was post commander in 1992 and for more than a decade was chairman of the post’s annual Law and Order Night that recognized local public-safety officers.

Mr. Kelly was Santa Claus in several Tracy Christmas parades, but he is even better remembered as heading the annual Tracy Halloween parade, several times as “The Great Pumpkin.”

Before and after retiring, Mr. Kelly loved to travel to all parts of the world and was a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Disneyland.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Helen Kelly of Tracy; two sons, John Kelly of Tracy and Ken Pace of Castro Valley; two daughters, Nancy Taylor of Pleasanton and Dori Hamilton of Los Altos; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Private entombment will be Friday, July 20, at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. The July 30 memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 101 Berverdor Ave.

The family prefers memorial contributions in Mr. Kelly’s name to the Education Department, First Presbyterian Church, 101 Berverdor Ave., Tracy, CA 95376.