Janice Kelly, 89, of Huntsville, passed away Monday. Born in Sterling, IL, Janice graduated from Erie High School, Erie, Illinois, and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama Huntsville, and her MEd from Alabama A&M University.
Janice lived a long and productive life, sharing 68 years with her husband, Kelly. She was remarkable for her strong will and soft heart and could accomplish any task she set her mind to. Once she set her three girls, one dog, and two cats off on the paths she approved, Jan went back to school and enjoyed a 23-year career as an educator for Huntsville City Schools at West Mastin Lake and Chaffee Elementary sending many more children down the right paths. Somewhere in between, she took up tennis, golf and travel. Upon her retirement, she and her husband, Kelly, took many adventurous trips abroad, and many across the southeast to visit her six grandchildren. Jan was a member of the Twickenham Study Club and volunteered with Friends of the Library and served on its board. She will remain in our hearts, and in our minds we will always hear her gentle reminder that we ought to apply some lipstick.
Jan and Kelly loved to travel, and Jan was an avid reader and devoted volunteer at the Huntsville-Madison County Library. Jan was a fabulous cook and always made delightful feasts for every holiday.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy Gail and Gladys Cocking. Surviving family members include her husband, Lowell Kelly; their children, Laura (Kelly) and Michael Murphey, Karen (Kelly) and Michael Brewerton, and Bridget (Kelly) and Scott Leavitt; their grandchildren, Richard and Valerie Murphey, Michael and Kristen Murphey, Carter Murphey, Kelly and Evan Patton, Scott Leavitt Jr., and Catie Leavitt; and their great-grandchildren, Ellie and Violet Murphey, Athena Le Murphey, and James Patton; and brother and sister-in-law, Melvin Gail and Connie Cocking.
Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, August 30, at First United Methodist Church, 120 Greene St., Huntsville, AL, followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Friends of the Library, Huntsville-Madison County Library Foundation, P.O. Box 443 Huntsville, AL 35804 or at hmcpl.org/give.
