Bitha Adelene Kelley

Bitha “Adelene” Kelley, age 96, of Morris, Alabama passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. She was born to the late Nebraska and Earl Reynolds on November 19, 1929, in Oneonta, Alabama. At an early age her family moved to Quinton, Alabama before their move to Kimberly, Alabama in 1950. Even after marriage, she remained a resident of Kimberly, Alabama, until her last move to Morris, Alabama in 2018, where she spent her last 7 years of life.

She was united in holy matrimony to Paul Burton Kelley on April 18,1953. Through the years, Adelene worked in retail for Woolworths and Eckard Drugs but was especially proud to be a homemaker and mother to their 4 children. Paul preceded her in death on June 25,1987.

Ten years later, 1997, she would meet her longtime companion, Bill Motley, at the VFW in Fultondale, Alabama. They truly enjoyed being a part of the Eastern Wranglers Square Dance Club and the Campers and Dancers Group, becoming close friends with both groups of people. As a couple for 28 years, they enjoyed lots of traveling, dancing and playing cards, as well as fishing and even hunting together. Adelene also had a love for gardening and watching her hummingbirds feed on the two small feeders hanging on her carport. In the last year, she would sit on her porch for long periods of time just to see them swirl around and fight each other for that precious nectar.

Sweet and fun memories of her life will forever be cherished in the lives of her children: Kenneth Kelley of Morris, Alabama; Gary Kelley (Susan) of Vestavia, Alabama; Wilma Ferguson (Bill) of Hoover, Alabama; Sonja Jones (Bobby) of Kimberly, Alabama; These were the loves of her life, five Grandchildren; Rachel Prescott (Brandon), Sara Hill (Britt), Patrick Kelley (Kara), Casey Richter (Alex) and Allison Jones (Jacob Bentley, Fiancé). Grandmomma was blessed to see and “hug on” 9 great grandchildren ranging in age from 6 months to 9 years old.

The family would like to thank her four caregivers and Compassus Hospice group for their tender loving care throughout these past several years of medical and mental changes Adelene had to experience. They were definitely the light in a sometimes lonely world for our mom.

The family will receive friends on Friday, January 23, 2026, from 10:30-12:30. A Celebration of Adelene’s life will begin at 12:30 at Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel, 2029 Decatur Hwy, Gardendale, Alabama 35071. She will be laid to rest at Oakwood Memorial Gardens, in Gardendale, Alabama