Obituary

John H. Kelso II, a journalist for many years and later in life a federal employee, died Feb. 17 at Sunrise Assisted Living of Fairfax. He was 93.

Born in Haverhill, Mass., he entered journalism as a cub reporter for the Haverhill Gazette. He later joined the Associated Press.

Mr. Kelso left the AP to serve in World War II as a sergeant in the 4th Infantry Division in Western Europe. He earned three battle stars and the Combat Infantry Badge.

After the war, he went to work for the Boston Post as a feature writer. He traveled throughout the United States and Western Europe before being named the Post’s Washington correspondent.

When the Boston Post went out of business, he worked in the Washington bureau of Gannett news service. He next became the press attache at the American Embassy in Canberra, Australia, during the Kennedy administration. He was a writer and editor at the State Department, and later he served as a press officer in the public affairs branch of the old Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Mr. Kelso“s wife, Louise Adams, died in 1991. Survivors include a son, Jack of West Palm Beach, Fla.; a daughter, Willa K. Untiedt of Vienna, Va.; two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.