Janice M. Kelly

Janice M. Kelly was born to the union of Ressie Hollingsworth and Cornelious Kelly on May 20, 1942 in Shreveport, Louisiana and accepted Christ at an early age. By age 10, Janice was adopted by Mrs. Muriel Belton Ball who reared her to adulthood. Janice was a member of St. James United Methodist Church.

Janice received an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Grambling State University where she pledged and became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Janice completed her education at Ohio State University where she received a Master’s Degree in Sociology.

Janice migrated to Kansas City, MO in the early 1970’s and began her professional accomplishments. Janice worked for a short time with Goodwill Industries and Swope Park Health Services, as a Minority Employment Specialist for Kansas City, and as Project Manager for the Employment Resource Center in Kansas City before assuming the position of Coordinator for the Americans with Disabilities Act of the city of Kansas City, Missouri and the Director of the Mayor’s Office on Disabilities for the city. Janice retired from the City of Kansas City in 2003.

As someone who lived with a disability, Janice was always offering encouragement and resources to others to be the best they could be with an air of independence.

Janice was also the first Miss Wheelchair Missouri and was named the Professional Handicapped Woman of the year in 1986.

Janice completed her journey and transitioned this life on August 25, 2016 at Carondelet Nursing Home where she had resided since 2007.

Janice was proceeded in death by her parents, Ressie Hollingsworth and Cornelious Ball, her adoptive mother, Mrs. Ball, and siblings, John and Lonnie Charles. Janice leaves to cherish her life and memory siblings, Rufus Hollingsworth, Mary Ball Davis, and Edward Ball of Shreveport, Louisiana, Dawuud Abdul Salaam (formerly David Harold Boyd) of Ellenwood, Georgia, Sharon (Austin) Bryant of Kansas City, Missouri, goddaughters, Gillian Cunningham of Dallas, Texas, Joi Pricepts of Washington, D.C., and Tracey Catherine Bradford of Kansas City, Missouri, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A memorial services will be held at 3pm Thursday, September 15, 2016 at McGilley Midtown Chapel, 20 W. Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64111