Veronica Joyce Kelly

Veronica Joyce Kelly (née Richards) was born on August 6, 1934, in Port Antonio, Jamaica, to Eulalee Ivy and Ezekiel Richards. She spent her formative years in Port Antonio, and following the completion of her secondary education in Portland, entered the service of the Parish Department of Public Works.

Possessed of a deep desire for further education and a lifelong spirit of adventure, Veronica immigrated to the United Kingdom in 1963, where she trained at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Bournemouth and qualified as a State Registered Nurse. She went on to complete her midwifery training at the Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital and the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Veronica subsequently immigrated to Canada, serving on the nursing staff of Mississauga Hospital in Ontario, before relocating to New York City to be nearer to family. There, she devoted the remainder of her distinguished career to the care of the most vulnerable, serving as a Neonatal Nurse Specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital. With characteristic determination, she earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hunter College and the University of Mount Saint Vincent.

In retirement, Veronica made her home in Margate, Florida, where she became an active member of Church By The Glades. Ever true to her adventurous spirit, she remained an avid traveler with a particular fondness for cruises.

Joyce, as she was known to family and close friends, will be remembered with deep affection and admiration by all who were privileged to know her — for her warmth and generosity, her loving and caring nature, her unwavering commitment to treating others with dignity, and above all, for a keen and formidable intellect she retained with remarkable clarity until her final days.

Veronica Joyce Kelly departed this life on May 6, 2026. She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Gloria Monica. She is survived by her niece, Denise; her nephews, Lance, Chase, Evan, and Daniel; her cousin Deloris; her sisters Jean and Paulette; and a cherished host of close friends.