Obituary of Grace B. Kelly

Grace B. Kelly, age 99 of 124 N. Clinton Street, Iowa City died Friday, April 28, 2006, at the Lantern Park Nursing & Rehab Center in Coralville. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 1, 2006, at the Kahoka Cemetery, Kahoka, Missouri. There will be visitation on Sunday from 2 to 4pm at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Grace’s memory. Online condolences may be sent for her family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Grace Berniece (Brown) Kelly was born October 7, 1906, in Clark City, MO, the daughter of Art and Margaret (Grinstead) Brown. She graduated from high school in Lagrange, MO in 1926. In November of 1932 she was united in marriage to Alfred F. Kelly in Quincy, Illinois. The couple moved to Iowa City that year where Grace has been known to many students from University of Iowa, as their “Housemother”. A title that she cherished along with the many friendships that have been maintained over the years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Iowa City, member of the Rebekah Lodge, where she had held the office of Grandmaster. Grace loved to cook for her family and her students, enjoyed sewing, embroidering, playing bridge, other card games, and traveling. Her family includes her son, Alfred Kelly and his wife, Sheila of Maryville, MO; daughter, Judy Holland of Iowa City; four grandchildren, Deborah Kieffer and her husband, Jeffrey, Douglas Kelly and his wife, Phyllis, Diane Kelly, and Paul Holland; one great-grandson, Matthew Kieffer; sisters, Gladys Hardy of Kahoka, MO, Ruby Flannery of Myrtle Beach, SC, and Esther Fletterer of Quincy, IL; and one brother, Samuel Brown of Ewing, MO. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one brother, Luther Brown, three sisters, Veva Hoffman, Helen Pirotte, and Rosie Mayer. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City is caring for Grace’s family and her services.