Georgette Kean Kelly

Born, January 19, 1934, to Nathan and Esther Kean in Bronx, NY, Georgette was their only surviving child. Esther died in 1936. For the next few years, Georgette was sent to live with a variety of relatives, including her Uncle Elias and Aunt Jolan, until she was enrolled in McFadden’s Boarding School in Scarborough, New York at the age of 6.She remained in the school year-round until Nathan remarried Gladys Kelly in 1943, and she, along with her new step-brother, Peter, moved with their new family, to Flushing, NY. Eventually, the family moved to Yonkers, where her half brother and sister, Robert and Marion were born.

In high school, Georgette was an honors student, She worked part time at Genung's Department Store, and babysat instead of pursuing extra curricular activities. She graduated from Gorton High School in 1951,with a Regents degree, which made her eligible to attend college. She was accepted to Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School, but without a scholarship had to go right to work.

Georgette started at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City, immediately after graduating. Within months of being hired, she was promoted within her division. Later that year, she met the love of her life, Gerald (Jerry) Thomas Kelly (sr.) and the two courted long distance, while Jerry was in the USAF, serving in Labrador. The two were married on May 2, 1953.

The newlyweds relocated to Dover, Delaware until Jerry’s discharge from the Airforce. From there she and her husband moved to Connecticut and then Irvington, New York where she had three children Gerald Jr., Theresa, and Lisa, and became an integral part of the community for more than 20 years.

Georgette continued her working life by becoming an at-home typist for Harold J. Smith, a detective, and insurance adjuster for Lloyds of London.

In 1981, the family relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina. Georgette began working for M/A/R/C as a telemarketer. Within ten years, she worked up to the position of “assistant manager” before leaving that job in 1992. From 1992 until her retirement in 2000, she worked for Sears in customer service.

In 2001, Georgette and Jerry moved to Cary, NC to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Georgette was very active in the Cary Senior Center where she played Dominos, learned MahJong, and took a variety of classes.

In her lifetime, Georgette endured a tremendous amount of hardship, including the untimely deaths of loved ones, personal health issues, and serving as long-term caregiver to an ailing husband. Throughout it all, she was known to be a caring and generous soul, who would do anything she could to help a friend or family member in need. Circumstances were not always kind to her, but she was always kind to those who were lucky enough to have her in their lives.

Georgette is survived by her son, Jerry Kelly, daughter, Lisa Kelly-Rouse, son-in-law Frank Rouse, and her grandchildren, Noah, Shea, and Spencer Rouse; dozens of nieces and nephews and her siblings Peter Kean(Joan) of NC, Robert Kean(Linda) of NY, and Marion Bajek of Illinois. She was predeceased by her husband, Gerald “Jerry” Thomas Kelly sr., daughter Theresa Lynn Kelly, and her parents.

In lieu of flowers, Georgette requested that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Transitions LifeCare.