Helen "Jane" Kelly

Helen J “Janie” Kelly, 88 of Southern Pines, NC died Sunday, January 15, 2023, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.  She was born August 24, 1934, in Terre Haute, IN to the late Oscar C and Lynn (Kell) Johnson.  She graduated from Wiley High School in Terre Haute and attended Indiana University.  She married William R “Bill” Kelly in 1953, also of Terre Haute.  The couple raised three boys and a girl in the Hoosier state and summered on Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, IN.

A resident for the last 40 years, Janie moved to Southern Pines from Terre Haute in 1983 with her late husband Bill (2003).  The Kelly’s were attracted to Southern Pines due to their mutual love of golf and from earlier excursions including a residency at the Mayfair Apartments, where they lived as newlyweds while Bill was stationed at Pope Air Force Base.  Besides golf, Janie enjoyed traveling, entertaining, playing, and winning at cards, and needlepointing exquisite gifts for family and friends.   

In addition to her late husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a son, William Sean Kelly (1993), and a sister Sue Ann Justus (1995).  She is survived by two sons, Kevin J Kelly (Marijo) of Naples, FL, and Timothy P Kelly (Deenie) of Saginaw, MI, a daughter, Laura Kelly Lang (Michael) of Pinehurst, NC, six grandchildren, Kristin Hansen (Jake), Megan Kelly, Colleen Wolfson (Dan), Sean Kelly, Stone Kelly, and Will Kite, as well as six great-grandchildren, Sam, Abby, and Andrew Hansen, and Millie, Rosie, and Juliette Wolfson. 

A Mass of Remembrance will be held Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 10:00 am at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 160 E. Vermont Ave, Southern Pines, NC.  The service will be live-streamed for those unable to attend at https://stanthonyparish.net.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Sandhills Children’s Center, 1280 Central Drive, Southern Pines, NC 28387, or a charity of your choice. 

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