Services will take place at 2:00 p.m., Saturday January 18, at Johnson Mortuary, 1415 South First Avenue, Yuma Arizona. The Reverend Cecil Pratt will officiate.
Mary was born on June 7, 1955 in Clovis, New Mexico to Luella (Hamilton) Kelly and Charles Grady Kelly. Charles worked for the Sante Fe Railroad for 46 years, and as the daughter of a railroader, Mary grew up loving the sound of trains as they would pass through the Clovis Yard. Even after marrying her high school sweetheart, Elston “Kent” Grubaugh, Mary always wanted to live close enough to the tracks to hear the trains pass in the night.
Mary suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident that left her with mobility and chronic pain issues for the rest of her life. However, always with a positive outlook on life, Mary completed a degree in bookkeeping and worked for a time at Neil Durhan Insurance Agency in Clovis and Montgomery Wards in Las Cruces, New Mexico. While her husband was attending Texas A&M University, Mary worked as an accountant for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. In own her words, following the birth of her son Eric, she retired to be the “Queen of her own domain”, maintaining the family home, wherever that happened to be.
In Yuma, Mary particularly enjoyed her monthly lunch with friends until she was no longer able to attend. She also enjoyed her “wine making” friends, Saturday lunch at Fisher’s Landing with her husband, crossword puzzles and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals.
Mary is survived by her husband Elston Grubaugh, her son Eric (Ashley) Grubaugh of Indio California, brother David (Brenda) Kelly and nephews David Kelly Jr. (Loren) and Pat Kelly, all of Clovis, New Mexico, and a niece Michelle Ward and family of Fort Worth, Texas. In addition, Mary is survived by members of Elston’s family who thought the world of Mary including sister-in-law Jolene Beevers and nieces Brenda and Gracie Beevers and nephew Clay (Erika) Beevers.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Luella Kelly and her brother, John David Kelly.
The family wishes to offer our sincere thanks to all those who rushed to assist Mary after she fell. Special thanks to the Yuma County Sherriff’s deputies and Rural Metro first responders who fought so hard for Mary. Also, to all that welcomed Mary and made her a part on the Wellton-Mohawk and Foothills communities. We hope you will be able to attend services on January 18.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Tri-Valley Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 958, Wellton, Arizona 85356.
