Levonne Kisner Kelly, age 92, passed peacefully on January 30, 2023. She was born January 15, 1931 to Virgil and Lois Kisner of Santa Ana, CA. Levonne was raised and lived most of her life in Southern California prior to relocating to Arizona in 2007 to be closer to family.
While raising her children, she completed a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development and master’s degree in special education leading to a lifelong passion of teaching young children. She began her career by developing and directing a church nursery school at Granada Park United Methodist Church in Alhambra. She then taught Head Start in the Garvey Unified School District before moving to Rowland Heights Unified School District. Here is where she spent most of her career teaching children with visual disabilities. She also enjoyed being a part-time adjunct professor in the Department of Child, Family & Education Studies at East Los Angeles College. Her career in special education brought her immense joy.
Levonne had a lifelong passion for learning and challenging herself. She loved to read, debate, explore new ideas, share her thoughts, and seek out new experiences. She was a free thinker. She was always active in the Methodist Church—chairing committees, board of trustees, leader in women’s groups and bible study. She was very active with the International School for Peace at St. Francis in the Foothills in Tucson. She also loved her trips abroad and many adventurous road trips. Friends and family were extremely important to her and she had wonderful friends wherever she was.
The last days of her life she was able to spend time with her children as well as some grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was also surrounded by her loving friends and caregivers at Orchard Pointe at Terrazza in Peoria, AZ, where she lived this past year. She touched so many lives and she will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her brothers, Carl Kisner and Ned Kisner; her children, David (Pam) Kelly, Karen (Bill) McCloskey, Tanya Gallagher, June (Rod) Fischer; her grandchildren, Brad, Scott, Bonnie, Jodi, Bryce, Doug, Amber, Kelly, and Alex; her great-grandchildren, Ethan, Alison, Asher, Zachary, Neal, Evelyn, Ena, and Sophia; and her stepchildren, Elke Jones, and Aaron Kaemmerer.
A private celebration of life is being planned for this spring. If you would like to memorialize Levonne, donations can be made to The Community Hospices of America Foundation. When donating please indicate Hospice of the West so funds can be directed to the community that greatly helped Levonne and her family.
Online: www.chafoundation.net/contribute-online
By Mail: CHA Foundation c/o Hospice of the West 21410 N 19th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85027
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ChapeloftheChimesMortuary.com for the Kelly family.
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