Dorothea Eleanor Kelley

Dorothea Eleanor Kelley Jr. left this world to be with the Lord on the morning of May 25, 2025, she was 77 years old. The first girl in a family of three boys, born to proud parents, Dorothea Eleanor Kelley and James Joseph Kelley, April 22, 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Our Sissy was a kind, loving soul with a beautiful spirit. The hearts she touched will always love and remember her. Growing up in Thousand Oaks, California, she enjoyed her family, friends, and the beautiful community that surrounded her, active in church, school, and her love for the outdoors. A T.O. girl, Sis and our whole family took part in Conejo Valley Days from its inception, dressed up in our jeans, cowboy hats and boots . . . off to the parade we went, enjoying all the festivities, the rodeo, BBQ, and carnival. It was our small-town tradition. Great times, we loved and looked forward to it every year and loved living in the Conejo Valley.

Dorothea graduated from Thousand Oaks High School and went on to higher education at California Lutheran University. She had a passion for the English language, majoring in Journalism, excelled in creative writing, and was published as an author in her own right. She married and was later divorced.

She had a son, Christopher whom she adored. Chris was her sweet baby boy, her love, pride, and joy. She always said Chris was the best part of her life, she loved being his Mom and they shared a very strong bond of love and friendship. She cherished their time together.

As a young woman, Dorothea valued her career as an Executive Secretary in various roles. She engaged in the Art of Skin Care Consultant as a hobby and tried to help us all develop a good skin care routine to preserve our youthful complexion. It worked well for her . . . A bright girl, with a radiant smile and beautiful skin!

Sis was always ready for an adventure: she loved camping and boating vacations with her family and friends. "Taking a Putt" to lift her spirit and explore the beauty of nature, trips to the beach, trips to the mountains, and all the local countryside. Shopping, Movies, occasional special events, Sissy was always great company for some good food, fun, and entertainment. Some of the best times: She was just happy at home enjoying each other's company. Sis enjoyed life and every celebration that came with it. Loving home and all the Holidays, being together with family, special traditions, decorations and dinners that were so important to all of us, including being Santa's Helper and Easter Bunny's sidekick for her little sister Deb. That was my favorite! My big sister was always there for me.

Dorothea loved her Mom and Dad, her son Chris, her longtime love and companion Hubert, her brothers, her sister, her brother-in-law, her sisters-in-law, many dear friends, Jean, Melinda, Lee and all her extended family. Sis made sure to say "I love you" often.

"We love you too Sissy and always will!"

A love for animals, Sis had many pets she loved and shared her life with, I know there will be a very happy reunion at the Rainbow Bridge in Heaven! Lots of wags and lots of kisses!

"Long live Rock and Roll!"

She loved music, dancing, and entertaining. Sis was the "Hostess with the Mostess" for many a fun party...Halloween, Christmas, and anytime in between . . . always a welcome and a good time at Sissy's House.

She loved her country, proud and fortunate to be an American, she honored the Red, White, and Blue, the Freedoms the Flag stands for, and forever respectfully grateful to all who protect our freedom. July 4th was always a revered celebration at our house!

So many good times together, so many wonderful memories, so much love, so hard to say goodbye.

Dorothea was a devout Catholic with a strong belief and faith in God, always amazed and curious in all God's creations, Heaven, Earth, and our awe-inspiring Universe. A true child of God, doing her best to navigate this life and praying for guidance along the way.

To Gardnerville and back again . . . Her journey now in Heaven:

"He will raise you up on eagle's wings and hold you in the palm of His hand."

In Peace and Love with The Holy Trinity, in Blessed Light and Joy for all infinity.

Dorothea found her cloud with the angels and reunited with all the loving souls that passed before her:

Son Christopher James Rockhold, mother Dorothea Eleanor Kelley, father James Joseph Kelley, brother James Joseph Kelley Jr., and all her beloved in Heaven. Sis will be forever lovingly remembered by her brothers Harry and Lawrence, her sister, Debra, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and all her extended family and friends.

A beautiful Celebration of Life and Memorial mass were held to honor Dorothea on June 30, 2025 at St. Jude's Catholic Church, Officiated by Fr. Jim Stehly, Pastor.

Our sweet Sister was laid to rest that day in a Blessed Peaceful Service, next to her loving son, Christopher, and our loving Mother and Father at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, California, which was officiated by Deacon Bill Betancourt.

Free in Spirit,

Enveloped in Love,

Rest in Peace,

In Heaven Above.

I will always Love you and Miss you, my Sweet Sissy.

Together Forever in All our Hearts!

God Bless you Always. Amen.

xoxo, your lil sis Debbie.

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EULOGY

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June 30, 2025

Written and presented by Debra Wybenga, sister.

Good morning and welcome. Thank all of you for being here to celebrate my sister, Dorothea, the life we shared with her, and the everlasting life she now shares with God in Heaven. Jesus is Our Savior and I know he welcomed Sissy to Heaven with open arms.

My sister always believed. She had a strong faith in God, the Holy Spirit, Virgin Mary, and all the saints. She talked to God often, and prayed to all of them. St. Jude was her special Saint and helper. She belonged to this Parish long ago under the guidance and friendship of Father O'Connell. This is the church she requested in her last wishes to have her Memorial Mass in.

Thank you, Jesus, we can be here together praying for and saying farewell to our beloved sister. I know she is watching from Heaven.

Sis tried to live her Catholic faith as our parents taught and instilled in every one of us. She was a good Christian woman and the Lord was with her every day. Life happens, good and bad. She did her best and always had a best friend in Jesus to guide her along the way. The Lord is her Rock in whom she trusts. He lifts her up and holds her in the palm of his hand, now and for all eternity, in the pure joy and light of his love.

I can feel her spirit and I know Sissy is happy and at peace, right where she belongs, in Heaven with God, reunited with her loving son Christopher, our beloved Mom and Dad and brother Jimmy Joe, Jean her dearest friend and sister, and Hubert whom she loved so much, and all of our dearly departed friends and family. A beautiful Celestial celebration.

Dorothea is the best sister I could have ever asked for. She loved me and all her family very much. Every year on my birthday, and often in between, she would tell me a story about how she prayed so hard to God, Mary Mother of Jesus, and Saint Ann for a little sister. With three older brothers sometimes teasing her that Mom would have another boy. She fervently prayed that God would send her a little sister. Her heart had such a strong desire for a sister, and she prayed for me every day until I was born.

My birth, as my siblings tell me, happened on a Sunday night during the Ed Sullivan show. My family was happy to welcome me but Sissy's prayers especially had been answered. She was elated and thanked God for her little sister. That story always made me feel so special and so loved. I will miss her telling me, but will still hear her words and feel her love on all my birthdays to come.

Sis was my best friend and confidant, she was there for me my whole life, always loyal, always caring, always loving me. We are sisters and we'll always be connected in our hearts. Through good times and hard times we could always count on each other. Growing up it was Mom and Sissy I relied on for all the girly things sisters do, helping guide this little girl to her teens and Beyond. We sure had a lot of fun together in all our adventures from kids to adulthood, we were always very close. As time does, it took us in different directions, each of us on our own journey trying to navigate our lives. I found that sis needed me a lot more as she got older. So just as my big sister was there for me, I tried to be there for her. Life was not always easy for Sis, but with God's grace and a little help from her Guardian Angel and friends, she was thankful for each new day and enjoyed her life. Live, love, and laugh, like the necklace I once gave her. We always tried to support each other. We shared so much together. That's what love is! Sis had recently been very sick in the hospital. I was praying for a miracle for her. I knew her body was tired but I didn't want to lose my sweet sister so I prayed she'd get well. The first miracle happened when she did feel better and called me from the hospital that morning. I was surprised and happy that she was feeling so much better. It was a great conversation, we laughed, cried, and had the best talk we've had in a long time. She told me how much she loved me, how proud of me she was, how thankful she was God gave her that little sister she had prayed for. She said to tell Detlef hi, how much she loved and cared about him as her brother, how grateful she was for his friendship, love, and support through all the years. She asked me to tell the rest of the family hi and how very much she loved and appreciated all of us. She said she did not want us to fight, remember what mom always told us "You are your own best friends".

That was the last time I talked to my sweet sissy.

The second miracle happened when Jesus came and freed her spirit to Heaven. We miss you so much but take comfort knowing you're at peace with the Lord. That brings us all comfort. I remember her words to Chris, "Find peace eternal and love divine, my special star you'll forever shine." My wish is the same for you, sweet sister.

Dorothea was very spiritual and had many talents. She loved God, life, nature, and was forever seeking the meaning behind it all. She was an author in her own right and being published was one of her accomplishments. She had a command for the English language and a unique gift of expression both on and off paper. She loved being with her family and friends and was always ready for an adventure. The best part of her life and heart was her son Christopher. She loved being his mother, they shared a very strong, loving, emotional and spiritual bond. She was so grateful and blessed to be Chris's mom and missed him very much when he left this Earth. How happy they are to be together again in Heaven.

Sis had a beautiful, strong, enduring, and loving spirit. I want to share something my best friend and extended family, Melinda Cupples, wrote of Dorothea:

Sissy was so loving, she opened her heart and arms to a little girl who really needed a big Sister, and became the big Sister she'd always dreamed of.

Melinda was the last person to see Sissy this April, Linda couldn't be here today but is so grateful she got to spend that time with her adopted sister. They both told me how much fun, laughter, and memories they shared together. It was a wonderful visit, well spent, and cherished by the two of them. Sissy knows you are here with us in spirit today, Lindy Lou.

We also know we are joined today by Sissy's best friend and sister, Jean, who is loved and missed by all of us. Now together again in Heaven, and together with us in spirit today.

We miss you, Sissy, you were and are everything a sister could ever be to each and every one of us. We will always love you . . .

In closing, I will never be the writer you were, but here's a little poem just for you.

Like something mystic beyond the know

There is a place where we can go

It comes with love from Heaven above

Our hearts can hear it

It's deep in our spirit

A magic wand

A beautiful bond

Where we'll always be

You and me

Us, sisters, best friends

All time and space transcends

Although now we're apart

We stay close in heart

Love forever has no end

And I know my sweet sissy

I'll see you again

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Dear God,

With a heart both heavy and full of love, I come before You. My sister now walks the golden streets of heaven, her spirit freed like a bird soaring into the eternal sunrise.

Bless her soul, O Lord, as she rests in Your divine embrace. Her laughter now echoes in the halls

of paradise, a sweet symphony that dances on the winds of Your grace.

Guide her gently, as she explores the realms of Your kingdom. Let her feel the warmth of Your infinite love, the radiance that only Your presence can bestow.

Her earthly journey was a tapestry of love and faith.

Let her spirit now be adorned with the stars of Your promise, shining brightly in the night sky.

Grant her peace, O God, in the stillness of Your eternal sanctuary. May she find joy in the glory of Your everlasting light.

Amen.

"You Who Dwell in The Shelter of The Lord,

Who Abide in His Shadow For Life,

Say to The Lord: "My Refuge, My Rock In Whom I Trust!"

And He Will Raise You Up On Eagle's Wings,

Bear You on The Breath of Dawn, Make You To Shine Like The Sun,

And Hold You in The Palm of His Hand."

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POEMS AND MORE

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"IRISH EYES"

When Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure 'tis like the morn in Spring,

In the lilt of Irish laughter,

You can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy,

All the world seems bright and gay,

And when Irish eyes are smiling, sure,

They steal your heart away.

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"ON EAGLES WINGS"

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,

Who abide in his shadow for life,

Say to the Lord : "My Refuge, My Rock in whom I trust!"

And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of his hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,

And famine will bring you no fear:

Under his wings your refuge,

His faithfulness your shield.

And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of his hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night,

Nor the arrow that flies by day;

Though thousands fall about you,

Near you it shall not come.

And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of his hand.

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"PRAYER TO ST. JUDE"

O glorious apostle St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered thy beloved Master into the hands of his enemies has caused thee to be forgotten by many, but the church honors and invokes thee universally as the Patron of Hopeless Cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me who am so helpless and alone. Make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege granted to thee to bring visible and speedy help where help was almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolation and succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, but in particular, that . . . (Here make your intention) and that I may praise God with thee and with all the Saints forever. I promise thee, O blessed St. Jude to be ever mindful of this great favor and never cease to honor thee as my special and powerful patron, and to do all in my power gratefully to encourage devotion to thee. Amen

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"WE REMEMBER THEM"

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,

We Remember Them.

At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of Winter,

We Remember Them.

At the opening of the buds in the rebirth of Spring,

We Remember Them.

At the blueness of the skies in the warmth of the Summer,

We Remember Them.

At the rustling of the leaves and the beauty of Autumn,

We Remember Them.

At the beginning of the year and when it ends,

We Remember Them.

As long as we live, they too will live,

for they are now a part of us,

as We Remember Them.

When we are weary and in need of strength,

We Remember Them.

When we are lost and sick at heart,

We Remember Them.

When we have joys we yearn to share,

We Remember Them.

When we have decisions that are difficult to make,

We Remember Them.

When we have achievements that are based on theirs,

We Remember Them.

As long as we live, they too shall live,

for they are a part of us,

as We Remember Them.

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"OVER THE RAINBOW"

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then, oh, why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the rainbow

Why, oh, why can't I?

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"MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU INTO PARADISE"

May the martyrs receive you at your coming,

and take you to Jerusalem, the holy city.

May the choirs of angels receive you,

and may you with the once poor Lazarus,

have rest everlasting, Amen.

May the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

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"GOD LOOKED AROUND HIS GARDEN"

God looked around His garden

And found an empty place,

He then looked down upon the Earth

And saw your tired face.

He put His arms around you

And lifted you to rest.

God's garden must be beautiful

He always takes the best.

He saw the road was getting rough

And the hills were hard to climb,

So He closed your weary eyelids

And whispered "Peace be thine."

It broke our hearts to lose you

But you didn't go alone,

For part of us went with you

The day God called you home