Sara Mae Kelly

Sara M. Kelly, 95, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, passed away at home on April, 10, 2016. Sara is survived by her son, Robert J. Kelly (Mary Beth) of Ridgway, Colorado; her daughter, Patricia (Gregory) Diserio of Lehigh Acres; four grandchildren: Michael J. Kelly of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Kristin A. Kelly of New York City, and Bailey and Logan Diserio of Lehigh Acres; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward J. Kelly, and her brother, William T. McEachern.

Sara was born in Roswell, New Mexico, on December 21, 1920, to Walter H. and Pearl (Bailey) McEachern and was raised there and in Amarillo, Texas, where she graduated from Amarillo High School. Her higher education at Amarillo College was interrupted when she enlisted in the U. S. Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve) on May 1, 1940. She was assigned to the Communications Radio Intelligence unit as a cryptographer where she decoded military messages at the highest level at the U.S. Naval Communications Center in Washington, D.C. While stationed there she met the love of her life, Hoboken, New Jersey native Edward J. Kelly of the U.S. Army Air Command. They were married on Sara’s 23rd birthday at the Camp Springs Army Air Field chapel on December 21, 1943. Their wonderful marriage lasted nearly 65 years until Ed’s passing February 28, 2008.

After serving their country during WWII, Sara and Ed settled in Union County, New Jersey, first in Linden and then in 1951 to their dream home in Clark Township where they resided for 52 years. There they raised their family and maintained the family homestead along with seasonal residences in Highland Lakes, New Jersey, and Lehigh Acres until permanently moving to Lehigh Acres in July, 2003. Sara continued her education earning her undergraduate degree at Seton Hall University and her master’s degree in education at Newark State College. She enjoyed a twenty-five year teaching career with the Woodbridge, New Jersey, school system where she taught English at Colonia Junior High and started the specialized reading program there. During her tenure Sara made reading into a comprehensive program taking in vocabulary, remedial reading, word analysis, comprehension and speed reading, and securing dedicated classrooms for the reading program when a new wing was built for the school.

Sara is remembered by many as soft spoken and well-mannered, caring and generous, dedicated to her husband and family, and an excellent teacher. She was an avid reader, accomplished bridge player, and wonderful mother and grandmother. In retirement in addition to reading and bridge she enjoyed world travel, the theatre and bird watching.

Sara was a member of the First Community Congregational Church of Christ of Lehigh Acres and the First Baptist Church of Westfield, New Jersey. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 6:00pm on Friday, May 6, 2016, at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, Fort Myers, Florida. The family invites those unable to attend to watch the family’s video tribute to Sara at www.mem.com. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in her memory to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples, FL 34102.

Arrangements under the direction of Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, Fort Myers, FL.