Keli Elizabeth Brittain had a joyous presence, a delightful wit, and had a huge smile for virtually everyone when she wasn't in an athletic competition. Born on October 31, 1979, at KDDH in Visalia, she left this earthly life, inexplicably, at 40 years of age, She was found in her apartment on July 19, 2020, in Pacific Beach, San Diego - with the cause of death currently unstated. Her death was initially emotionally devastating to her mother, brother and father, and has resulted in an outpouring of condolence messages and reminiscences from friends and relatives.
Keli absolutely loved cats, choir, Halloween (not surprisingly), her father, and idolized her mother and brother. She loved to dance, and was a member of winning dance groups at Dance Horizons for many years and into Monache High School (MHS). There she became an outstanding student athlete, which she continued as a young adult. As a freshman, she was an outstanding cross country runner, and was touted as the first female member of the MHS wrestling team – which caused quite a stir at the time. She was among the leaders on the first MHS Girls EYL and Valley water polo championship team and on several girls' EYL championship swimming teams. She graduated from MHS in 1997. After high school, she worked steadily in Fresno and San Luis Obispo, before attending Mesa College from 2002 through 2006. She competed on the swimming and water polo teams while there, and especially loved being on relay teams. Always a competitor, while working in La Jolla, she entered fund-raising short ocean swim contests there with friends.
During the 2004 fall semester at Mesa College, Keli traveled to Italy to study at Instituto Italiano, in Florence. While there she also visited many welcoming paternal relatives in the blessed city of Pietrelcina. She later traveled to Cuba and Costa Rica as part of a women's Yoga travel group. In recent years, she participated in San Diego Women's Marches, and was a strong advocate for people of color and social justice for women.
Keli transferred from Mesa College to San Diego State College and completed required pre-med courses for prospective nurses, as she decided to follow in her mother's profession. Enrollment in a school of nursing was backed up, and she went back to work, aiming for another sustaining source of income beyond serving at coastal restaurants or bartending. She then obtained a California license as a Health Insurance Agent while interning with Aflac during 2019 and early 2020. She got caught up in a wave of restaurant worker furloughs due to Covid-19, which also prevented her from teaching hot Yoga, which she loved. Frustrated with being out of sustaining work, she re-enrolled in Mesa college to take the few courses needed for an Associate degree in Social Sciences, which she had hoped to complete by winter.
In death, she has left behind many who are incredibly saddened. Feelings that were intensified by the subsequent heartbreaking death of her mother, Daisy Brittain. Keli is survived by her brother, Joseph, her father, Raymond, numerous cousins and extended relatives, and at least several close friends. Interment of ashes is planned at a local cemetery. Socially distanced services will be on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at 5:30 pm, east of the Porterville Cemetery District office..
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.8.18