Nancy Kelly, 79, a longtime resident of Chehalis, Washington, died Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015 at Providence Centralia Hospital.
Nancy Joy Bridges was born July 16, 1936 in Alhambra, California to Sid Bridges and Emily Craig Bridges. Her father was a wheat farmer. She grew up in Beaumont, California and attended Westmont College. She married Harold Everett Kelly in Chehalis on Aug. 24, 1968. For the last 15 years, Nancy was a resident at Sharon Care Center in Centralia, Washington.
She worked for many years in the family business, Kelly's Sport Shop, chiefly as bookkeeper. She also gave generously of herself to family life on the Lucas Creek Farm and all its many members' aspirations, endeavors and difficulties, not to mention getting everyone to lessons, practices and church.
She enjoyed sewing, genealogy, time relaxing with friends and family at Silver Lake and when retirement came, extended trips to their cabin at Bear, Idaho. Those who knew her best remember her love of cooking for family gatherings with an emphasis on her lemon meringue pie. Family members fondly recall the sweet sounds of her earlier and briefer moments of leisure when, time allowing, she would play her piano and sing favorite hymns from her youth. Nancy had a warm and genuine smile, loved good fun and liked to laugh and could laugh so hard that she cried.
Everyone who was familiar with Nancy, knew of her relationship with her Lord and Savior. She was raised in church from an early age and continued to serve God well into her adult years. She enjoyed singing in church and teaching Sunday School. It was important to her that her children were raised knowing the Lord as well.
Nancy is survived by her husband of 47 years, Harold Kelly of Chehalis; children, John Heldreth, Keith (Lisa) Heldreth, Tami Holman of Chehalis, Andrew Kelly of Lacey, Washington and Craig (Anne) Kelly of Mitchell, South Dakota; stepdaughter, Mucbeah Robinson of Fort Bragg, California; 19 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, John Bridges.
Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9, 2015 with a celebration of life service taking place at 1:00 p.m. at the Fissell Chapel of the Brown Mortuary Service, Chehalis. A graveside service will follow at Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis. Pastor Keith Heldreth presiding.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brown Mortuary Service, Chehalis.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brown Mortuary Service, 229 N. Market Blvd., Chehalis, WA 98532. 360-748-4496.
Condolences may be offered at www.brownmortuary.com
