Jane Ferguson Kelly

Jane Ferguson Kelly passed away early Wednesday morning after a full life of 95 years. She was born May 29, 1916 in the small Midwestern town of Bucyrus, Ohio; the daughter of the late Robert E. and Harriet Pherson Ferguson.

Jane met her late husband Dr. Norbert L. Kelly while at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Melon), both College of Fine Arts (Drama) undergraduates. Jane was Homecoming Queen her Senior Year. She went on to Graduate School (Masters) at the University of Pittsburg while Norbert served overseas during the war.

Following the war, their wedding was held in the Fall in a small one room church on her grandparents’ farm in rural Pherson, Ohio. Each bridesmaid dressed in a different color of autumn.

After a honeymoon in the mountains of North Carolina they headed to Chapel Hill where Norbert pursued his PhD at UNC and their only child Karen (Bonnewell) was born. From then on they were confirmed North Carolinians making their home next in Raleigh and then in Cary (1959). Jane continued to live in Cary following Norbert’s death in 1973 until her death this week.

Jane was active in many community volunteer activities. She was also a founding member of the Greenwood Forest Garden Club and a longtime member of the Cary “Knit Wits”. She also manned the first public Cary Chamber of Commerce office (mid 70’s) until her retirement.

Jane was a long standing member of the First United Methodist Church of Cary for over 50 Years.

All of her 95 years gardening brought Jane constant joy, along with the fellow members of her clubs and her long time neighbors.

But the brightest star in her life was her Grandson Ross Kelly Bonnewell and later his wife Meredith whom she lovingly called granddaughter! Throughout her last 40+ years it was her son-in-law Donald Bonnewell, along with her daughter that was her rock she could always count on. Family was everything to her. And she was everything to them!

The funeral and visitation will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Cary on Saturday September 24, 2011 at 2:00p.m.