Betty was born in Kansas City, Missouri on January 12, 1925 to her parents Judge Ira S. and Ada B Gardner. On June 1, 1945. She Married John C. Kelley, a WWII veteran, and the couple was married for 62 years. Betty also served as a Certified Nurses Aid with the Red Cross in WWII.
The couple enjoyed going to the Lake house down in the Ozarks every weekend in the summer and on vacations.
Betty loved to work in her garden. She had quite a green thumb and always had lots of veggies at the dinner table that was shared with her family every Sunday at noon. She enjoyed cooking while listening to her Country music on the radio and feeding anyone who walked through her front door. You could always find homemade cookies in the cookie jar and dry roasted peanuts in the pantry.
When not taking care of her family, you would often find Betty sitting playing her piano or blowing on her Clarinet. She had a love for music which she passed on to her grandson Bob. She loved going bowling with her friends every Thursday and was on a bowling league for many years.
In 2003 Betty was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She came to live at Villa St Francis in 2014 and was told the she had maybe 2 months to live as the cancer had gone into the Bone. Betty was a strong woman and very stubborn and proved that to the doctors and lived 4 more years.
She was proceeded in death by her husband, John C. Kelley, sons, William G. Kelley, Michael S. Kelley, grandson, John W Davis as well as her parents, brother, H. B. Gardner, Sisters, Billie Jean Waters and Ruth Blaich. She is survived by sons: John S. Kelley and wife Cynthia of Lenexa, Kansas and Richard J. Kelley of St. Joeeph, Missouri, daughter Sue A. Davis of Olathe, Kansas, 5 Grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the staff at Villa St Francis and the Catholic Charities Community Hospice for taking such wonderful care of Betty for the last 4 years. She was always happy and comfortable and never complained. She considered it her home. In lieu of flowers the family recommends Donations to Villa St Francis or the Catholic Charities Community Hospice.
