Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-05-24
GRANDMA KELLY CALLED HOME

It is with feeling of deep sadness
that we this week announce the death
of Mrs James Kelly, or Grandma
Kelly, one of the well beloved and
remaining few of the early pioneer
residents of this city and county.
About the middle of January she left
this city with her son, Samuel, for Des
Moines, Iowa, where she intended
visiting at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Mccoy. A fortnight later word
was received that she had suffered a
shock from cerebal hemorrhage and
was in a critical condition. She had
always been active and possessed
remarkable strong constitution and In
spite of her extreme age she slightly
rallied from the effects of the shock
but was not able to overcome it.
Rebecca Ash-Kelly was born in
county Donegal, Ireland, November
20, 1887, and died at Des Moines, Iowa,
from cerebal hemorrhage May 20,
1917, aged 70 years 4 months and 29
days. On May 20, 1859, she was unit
ed in marriage at Rock Island, Ill,
with James Kelly. To them four chill
dren were born, three sons and one
daughter, three of whom are now
living. The family came to Trego
county in 1879 and this has been
their home ever since. Mr.. Kelly died
June Is, 1904, and the body was
buried in the Wa-Keeney cemetery,
the body of Mrs. Kelly was brought
to this city and buried beside that
of her husband, the funeral services
h. -4xay-
ian church Wednesday by the Rev.
Brown, of Hill City, former paster
of that church.
True to the heart of the Irish
and true to the heart of a noble
pioneer, Mrs. Kelly possessed witty
and cheerful disposition and person
ality which was extremely fascinating
and endeared her to the hearts of
all who knew her. For this reason she
was effectionately called Grandma
Kelly by old and young alike, not
for the sake of custom to an older
person, but because they loved her
and felt that she possessed kindly
feeling toward them. She was one
of the first of the pioneer ladies to
locate in this city and like all others
she suffered many trials and Difficult
ties but through it all she looked for
ward to better things to come and
cheerfully Encouraged those about her.
While she had lived to a ripe old age
and passed the time allotted to man
kind her children, her grand children
and many friends mourn her home
calling. For many years she had been
a member of the Presbyterian church
and in the absence of Rev Allison,
the present pastor of the church, the
Rev. Brown, who had served the
church here for many years and was
an old friend of the family, was call
ed here to conduct the funeral ser
vices. In the kindly words spoken by
him he voiced the sentiment of the
large audience which had gathered to
pay their last tribute of love to their
departed friend.
Mrs. Kelly is survived by her two
sons, VIM. B., Samuel F., and her
: daughter, Mrs. NJ. D. Mccoy and -four
grand children, Carol B. Kelly, Mrs
H. r. Wonner, Marjorie l. Mccoy
Mortimer J. Mccoy, of her immediate
family, besides a number of close rel
atives, and to them is extended the
sincere sympathy of many friends
The floral pieces and decorations al
the funeral were many and beautiful
but none more beautiful than the life
of the one had been in whose honor
they were being displayed.