Rosemary McKelvey

Rosemary McKelvey passed away peacefully on January 1, 2025. From her birth on July 29, 1946 in Somerville, Massachusetts, she strived to live a life of adventure, service and love. She is survived by her daughters, Linda Cornelius (John) and Mary (Mimi) Smith (Mike); her grandchildren, Chris Marshall (Justin), Rachel Cornelius Walker (Will), Casey Smith, and Ian Cornelius; great grandchildren, Bodhi Marshall, Nathan Walker, and Charlotte Walker; sister, Jeanne Andella; many nieces and nephews; and her loving partner, Kevin Klaft. Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband, Leon McKelvey; father, John Whalen; mother, Margaret Whalen; and siblings, John Whalen, Jr., Kathleen Davis, Patricia Fiore, and William Whalen.

Whatever Rosemary did in life, she did with all her might and energy. The ability to connect and serve people was a theme in her life. She worked for many years in the service industry, supporting and mentoring employees as they sought their life paths. She loved the restaurant business where she deployed her boundless energy until she retired. Upon retiring, she went back to school, taking courses at The University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College, scoring straight-A’s.

Though she did not receive a formal degree, she was a prolific reader and a lifetime student of history and the world, sharing her knowledge and wisdom with those around her. Through her 36-year journey in recovery, she was a loving friend and life mentor to countless lives. She loved those around her deeply and with great generosity – a cherished love that grows and multiplies within all the lives she touched throughout her journey here on earth.

Rosemary was a woman of strong faith, a lover of books, baseball, Perry Mason, and arriving 15 minutes early. She was a huge fan of baseball player Jackie Bradley and an ardent lifelong fan of her beloved Boston Red Sox. She had a years-long crush on the late singer/actor Kris Kristofferson. Her chance encounter with him in an elevator was one of her favorite stories to share with friends, family, and almost-strangers.

Those she leaves behind will cherish the light of love she instilled in them and pass it on to those around them in her honor, continuing her legacy for their lifetimes and multiplying hers. Wherever we go in life, we know she will be there 15 minutes ahead of us.

A memorial service will be held in her honor at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home (Lexington Chapel), 503 North Lake Drive, Lexington, SC 29072.

In accordance with her wishes, Rosemary’s ashes will be carried to Ireland by a group of her loved ones and scattered to return her to the place of her ancestors.