Kathleen Joan Kelley

Kathleen was born at St. John’s Hospital in Oxnard, CA on April 4th, 1957. She was the first born to parents Kenneth and Mary Anne and was soon followed by 4 sisters and 1 brother. After moving to Idaho for a couple years the family resided in Santa Paula, CA.

Kathleen and her sisters were in a singing group and performed for many local businesses, weddings and even won talent shows. The group would reunite for important events.

Growing up Kathleen was a model student. She was an avid reader and kept that hobby her whole life. She graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1975. She married her highschool sweetheart Daniel at the age of seventeen and the two newlyweds moved to Georgia for three years while he was enlisted in the United States Army before settling back in Santa Paula.

At the age of 25 Kathleen had identical twin girls Debbie and Dianne. Her son Brian was born 18 months later giving her 3 kids in diapers! She always said that being a mom was her most important job. Her children agree that she aced this assignment and was the best mom one could hope for. They have many fond memories of beach and park days, camping and water skiing trips, even hiking on top of a waterfall at Yosemite.

Katheen was a stay at home mom until her youngest entered Kindergarten. She then began her long career at the County of Ventura as a computer programmer after going back to school at Ventura College to receive her two AS degrees. She worked for the Sheriff’s department on many important projects that she was an integral part of. She loved her job and would often say that programming was like solving a giant puzzle. She met wonderful friends that she remained close with.

Kathleen was a selfless mother often putting her children first above all. She attended if not every then most events for her kids including track meets, band concerts, highschool plays, volleyball games, cheerleading activities and football games. She and Daniel helped support their three children graduate college which was very important to Kathleen.

One of the biggest joys Kathleen had was becoming a grandmother in 2010 when her first grandchild Allura was born in Phoenix, AZ. Daniel drove through the night and Kathleen got to be there to welcome her into the world. She was soon a grandmother again when her California grandbabies Emily and then Thomas were born. Texas babies, Ava and Raylan followed and finally Owen in CA joined the family! Kathleen loved reading with her grandchildren and spoiling them every chance she got. She received so much joy from giving them the biggest and best gifts for birthdays and Christmas. And a lot of the time “just because”. She even insisted on a California road trip to see Emily star in her middle school play.

Kathleen and Daniel moved to Texas in 2020 and built a beautiful new house which she loved. After a long fulfilling career which enabled her children to grow and succeed this was the reward that they both worked so hard for and was her final resting place.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years Daniel Kelley, her children Debra Casey (Son in law Ryan Casey, Grandchildren Emily Casey, Thomas Casey and Owen Casey), Dianne Barber (Son in law Sean Barber, Grandchildren Allura Barber, Ava Barber and Raylan Barber) and Son Brian Kelley, Sisters Marylin Castro, Maureen Griffiths, Patricia Sanchez and Brother Matt Uhre along with her brother and sister in-laws, nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father Kenneth Uhre, her mother Mary Anne Masterson, her Mother-in-law Mary Antunez, her Father-in-law Carlos Antunez, her sister Mary Uhre and her Nephew Jonathan Reeves.

Kathleen was loved deeply and will be missed everyday. She had an unwavering support for her loved ones, especially her children. She kept a positive attitude all throughout her health struggles even if she was putting on a brave face for her loved ones. Her doctors and caregivers would often comment on how incredibly tough she was. We are profoundly grateful that she fought so hard to be here on this Earth with us, but take comfort in knowing that she doesn’t have to fight anymore.