Shirley A. Kelly

Mass of Christian Burial Services for Shirley A. Kelly will be conducted from the All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. with Father Thomas Lux, officiating. Rosary will be held prior to the Mass at 9:00 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Exeter Cemetery at Exeter, Nebraska at 2:30 p.m.

Shirley Ann (Church) Kelly, 81 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Thursday, November 22, 2012 at the Mt. Carmel Home-Keens Memorial in Kearney, Nebraska. Shirley was born November 8, 1931 in Clarks, Nebraska to Leonard and Marjorie (Key) Church. She graduated from Clarks High School at the top of her class in 1948. She then attended Kearney State Teachers College, where she was a member of the Sigma Theta Phi Sorority. Shirley then met, in the fall of 1949, and later married the love of her life, Rex J. Kelly on July 14, 1951 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Central City, Nebraska.

Shirley was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. She was a devout Catholic who loved to bake, sew, play the piano, sing in the church choir, attend performances at The Tassel, and quilt. She was well known for the quality and workmanship of her quilts. But most of all, Shirley loved to care for her family.

She was a member of the All Saints Catholic Church, and enjoyed many friendship bonds through the years being part of her Bridge and Quilt Clubs.

After their marriage, Shirley and Rex lived in Lincoln and Omaha, where she was a bookkeeper for Western Auto, before settling in Kearney, Nebraska in 1952. The young couple started a family that soon grew to four sons and one daughter. In 1967, the family moved to Holdrege where they spent the rest of their lives. On March 11, 2008 she was preceded in death by her husband, Rex.

Survivors include her four sons: Thomas E. Kelly and his wife, Arlene of Atlanta, NE, James P. Kelly and his wife, Meg of LaGrange, IN, John T. Kelly and his wife, Linda of Westlake, OH and Daniel J. Kelly of Nebraska City, NE; one daughter, LouAnn Lowe and her husband, Steve of Kearney; nine grandchildren: Katherine (Kelly) Stewart and her husband, Jim, Mary Ann Kelly, Stephen and Kelly Lowe, Samantha Kelly, Elizabeth, Benjamin and William Kelly and Megan Kelly; three great-grandchildren: Katelyn Maree and Madyson Rose Kelly and James Patrick Stewart; she is also survived by one brother, Robert L. Church and his wife, Jane of Belle Vista, Arkansas; one sister, Patricia L. (Church) Anderson and her husband, Maynard of Hermann, Missouri; two sisters-in-law: Marion Geiger of Exeter and Kathleen Rupert of Lincoln; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Besides her husband, Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Dennis Patrick Kelly in infancy; and two grandchildren: Caroline Margaret McMorrow Kelly in 1993 and Patrick Byard Hamilton Church Kelly in 2001.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Memorials are kindly suggested to The Tassel at 1324 Tilden St., Holdrege, NE 68949.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.