Les and his twin brother, Harold Alan were born in Prince Albert, Sk on December 26, 1916, to Harold and Madeline Kell. His mother felt the twins were a special gift from God because she had lost her oldest boy Harold Jr in an accident.  Les and Alan were raised on a farm near Canwood Sk along with brothers Percy and Douglas, and sisters Nora and Esther. 

When WWII broke out towards the end of the Great Depression, Les, like many young men of that generation, was looking for work.  In January 1941, he enlisted with the RCAF.   In January 1942, after 10 months of training and a month leave to see his family, Les was commissioned overseas as Flight Lieutenant.  He had met the love of his life, Marion Odegaard, in Canwood and promised to return to marry her.  

On returning from one of the first missions in active service, the Whitley bomber in which he was a tail gunner, was shot down over the North Sea.  He and his crew were captured after surviving 48 hours in their dinghy in the icy water.  Les was to be a Prisoner of War (POW) for nearly 3 years. He was in Stalag Luft III POW camp where ’The Great Escape’ took place.  

In their later years Les and Marion liked to travel and many trips were taken to attend POW reunions around the world.  As time passed, he became more open to sharing stories of his war experience, the details of tunnelling, marching, and of eating turnip peel soup.  He also told about the many games of hockey and baseball they organized to keep up morale.  Les was a ‘prairie gopher’ and attributes much of his ability to manage loneliness to that fact.  He also kept a picture of Marion with him at all times and the thought of coming home to her kept him going.  Les was released when the war was over May 2, 1945 and was able to be reunited with his sweetheart in early June.  They were married in Toronto on June 15, 1945.  Les wrote an account of his life in POW camp which was later compiled and published by his granddaughter Jocelyn Tochor in 2012 - ‘A Wartime Log’, by William Leslie Kell available at Blurb.com

His family life was lived out in Saskatoon Sk and Outlook Sk where he and Marion raised four children; Barbara, Louise, Bruce and Elaine.  His father had been the butcher in his home town of Canwood Sk and Les followed in his father’s footsteps and spent most of his working career as a meat cutter, managing the meat department in local grocery stores.  His last years in the work force were spent working at the Canada Department of Agriculture Research Station at the University of SK in Saskatoon.  He retired at the age of 60 and for almost 30 years, he and Marion spent their summers at Coteau Beach Sk. and winters on Vancouver Island so they could golf year-round. He loved to play cards, garden, fish and BBQ.  His talents included playing the piano and making gloves. Les and Alan felt very privileged to receive piano lessons as boys.  He mastered the art of glove making while convalescing from an illness in his 40s.  He could custom make gloves to fit anyone.  

In 2008 when travel was no longer easy, Les and Marion moved to Esterhazy, to live at their daughter Elaine's personal care home, Maple Street Manor.  In February, this year Les’ care needs changed and in March he was moved into long term care.  First at Lakeside Manor in Saltcoats, and finally back in Esterhazy Centennial Special Care Home.  Marion faithfully made her way to his side as often as she could manage and on his last day she kissed him and said: “I won’t say goodbye, I will say, until we meet again…”  Les took his last breath on Friday afternoon with his daughter Elaine holding his hand and secured by the love of his family near and far.  

Les was predeceased by his parents and siblings.  He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Marion, his children Barbara Ellis, Louise (Lyle) Rankin, Bruce Kell and Elaine (Brian) Tochor, eleven grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.  The family would like to acknowledge the staff at Maple Street Manor, Lakeside Manor and Esterhazy Centennial Special Care Home for the kindness and excellent care that Les received.  Those who wish to commemorate his memory may make donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a charity and cause with close family connections.

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