Carson Henry Kelly Jr.

CLAYTON - Carson "Yogi" Henry Kelly Jr., 82, of Clayton, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, surrounded by the family and friends he loved so deeply.

Born in 1944, Carson was a lifelong North Carolinian whose life was defined by hard work, devotion to family, a love of horses and a commitment to helping others. He graduated from Gamer Senior High School and later attended Edwards Military Institute, Class of 1964.

Carson proudly served in the North Carolina National Guard from 1964 until 1970. He then built a long career with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, working at the Central Garage in Raleigh. After 33 years of service, he retired as machine shop foreman.

As a young man, Carson worked alongside his father in the family's Raleigh-based produce business, which at one time was among the largest tomato wholesalers on the East Coast, packing tomatoes all the way from Florida to the fields of Pennsylvania.

Outside of work, horses became one of the great passions of his life. From the time he owned a pony as a boy, Carson developed a lifelong love of raising and trading horses. Over the years, he estimated he had raised as many as 50 horses. He proudly described himself as "a horse trader," often saying, "My daddy was a trader, and I've always been a trader." He traveled as far as Texas and North Dakota to buy horses, usually selecting horses already broken to ride.

Many friends never realized that Carson had also excelled on the baseball diamond as a young man. A left-handed pitcher and first baseman, he played for Edwards Military Institute and was recruited into the minor leagues by the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He later recalled the demanding life of minor league baseball - long overnight bus rides followed by days of consecutive games. "It wasn't playing ball," he said. "It was work ball."

Carson also devoted much of his life to mentoring young people through athletics. A Little League team he coached won the Johnston County championship, and his Pony League All-Stars finished second in the state.

During the final years of his life, Carson staged, sponsored, and promoted the All Youth Barrel Race. What began as an in-state competition eventually attracted families from 17 states. During the decade of Carson's leadership, hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money were awarded to young competitors.

He believed deeply in giving back to others, often saying, "A lot of people did that for me as a kid." He valued discipline, effort, and perseverance, telling those around him, "You have to work at it. You're only as good as the work you put into it."

Competitive by nature, Carson loved sports and challenges of every kind. In the '70s and '80s he became a go-karting legend. His competitive nature and skills as a tool and die machinist laid the foundation for his famous Kelly's Cams. He built limited modified and open modified engines that won many National and State Championships for more than a decade. "I love competition," he once said. "I hate to lose, but losing makes you better."

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carson Henry Kelly Sr. and Esther Hales Kelly, along with two sisters, Barbara Ann Kelly and Jeannette Kelly Miller.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donna Huggins Kelly; his son, Wells Huggins Hayes; his daughter, Suzanne Kathleen Kelly; several grandchildren; and his beloved canine companion of 14 years, Lexie.

A celebration of Carson Kelly's life will be announced at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at bryan-leefuneralhome.com