Maida Maria Jackson Kelly

Maida Maria Jackson was born Nov. 25, 1931, in Mobile to Thomas E. and Elizabeth (“Bessie”) H. Jackson. She attended St. Mary School and graduated from Bishop Toolen High School in 1949. Maida then graduated from the Providence School of Nursing in 1952. She served in various capacities, including as Visiting Nurse, at the Old Mobile General Hospital, and with Dr. L.L. Brown. Maida was a caring, compassionate person; perhaps the best example of this occurred in 1970. Mobile General (now USA Medical Center) was implementing budget cuts after voters turned down a tax referendum to increase the hospital’s funding. One of the services cut was emergency and clinical care for the indigent. After learning of the suffering caused by these cuts, Maida sent a check to the hospital constituting her family’s share of the tax increase had it passed. In an accompanying letter, she wrote that she considered the issue “a matter of conscience – not law.” This was the beginning of Conscience Mobile, an organization that funded the care of many thousands of indigent Mobilians until other organizations took up the cause in 1977.

Maida married Patrick Wheeler Kelly at St. Mary Catholic Church in 1955. Together they raised five children. For the past 40 years, she was a faithful member of Holy Family parish. She is survived by her sister, Evelyn J. Hyde; daughters, Elizabeth M. Kelly and Anne K. (Hal) Scheurich; sons, Patrick W. (Valerie), Michael O. and William H. (Rebecca) Kelly; grandchildren, Stephanie Sedlecky, Jeffery, Madeline and Krista Scheurich; cousin, Kathryn (John) Miller; and numerous other cousins, nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 25, from 1:00 p.m. until the 2:00 p.m. celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mobile. Interment will follow in Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Holy Family Catholic Church, 1400 Joyce Rd., Mobile, AL 36618. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com. Arrangements by Radney Funeral Home, 3155 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama 36606.