Date of death: 7/29/2022
Saint Meinrad Class: PD 2008
Marc Reed Kellams, 73, died Friday, July 29, 2022, in a car accident outside of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Born May 4, 1949 in Bloomington, Marc was a lifelong resident prior to moving to Bargersville in 2020 to be close to family. He is a United Sates Navy Veteran and graduated from Indiana University with a religious studies degree. At age 31, Marc was appointed to Circuit Court Judge in Monroe County and retired in 2018 after 38 years on the bench. This year would have been his 43rd year teaching the trial and advocacy class at the Indiana University Maurer Law School. Marc became an ordained Deacon in June 2008 through the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He worked for 12 years as a Deacon at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bloomington followed by Ss. Francis and Clare of Assisi in Greenwood, IN. After retirement from the bench, he took on the role of Coordinator of Prison Ministries for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. In 2013 Marc was appointed to the board of JLAP, Judges, Lawyers, Assistance Program through the Indiana State Bar Association and Indiana Supreme Court, which serves as an organization that volunteers to help judges, attorneys and law students struggling with mental health problems, addiction, and depression. In addition to these roles, he also spent time working as a Senior Judge, filling in for other judges when needed. Marc was proud to serve as a Board Chair on the Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology Board of Overseers. He is past President of the Indiana Judges Association and has long served on the Judicial Ethics Committee of the Indiana Judicial Conference. Marc led a review of the American Bar Association’s Code of Judicial Conduct and has chaired the Boards of the Monroe County Youth Services Bureau, the Monroe County American Red Cross, the Monroe County Community Corrections Advisory Council, Bloomington Rotary Club and its foundation, Bloomington Hospital Foundation’s Development Council, Bloomington Hospital’s Advisory Council and Bloomington Hospital’s Board of Directors as well as The Surgery Center.
Marc loved life and those around him. He was an influential person in so many people’s lives, mixing faith and law throughout his career as a Judge and Deacon. He was the rock to his family, a wonderful husband, father, papaw (to five grandsons), mentor and friend. He was loved and respected by so many. A man known for his gigantic bear hugs, gentle spirit, work ethic, and devotion to his faith. He dedicated himself to the community, visiting and comforting the elderly, helping the sick and dying as well as performing countless baptisms and marriage ceremonies. He will be missed terribly. As a strong man of faith, we know he is looking down on all of us telling everyone it’s not goodbye but rather it’s until we meet again.
Marc is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Christina (Fox) Kellams, daughter Sarah (Kellams) Lippman and son-in-law Adam Lippman, their sons Mason Rhys Lippman and Maxwell Hudson Lippman, of Montclair, NJ, daughter Katherine (Kellams) Reed, son-in-law Ryan Reed, and their six children: Bradford Reed Dollens, Christian Theodore Dollens, Schuyler (Sky) Grant Dollens, Mattilyn Grace Reed, Alliyson Renae Reed, William Blake Reed, of Bloomington, IN. He was preceded in death by his daughter Amy Alison Kellams, his parents, Armal and Frances Kellams, and in-laws Philip and Clarabell Fox.