Memorial Service for Mary Kelly
All Church In Person Memorial FrontPage
In Memory of
Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly
October 29, 1923 – November 29, 2025
Scripture Reading
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
Life Story
Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly was born on October 29, 1923, the youngest of four children. Her three siblings were already college-aged when she arrived, making her a late and unexpected gift to the family.
At the age of six, Mary and her father both contracted pneumonia. Mary survived; her father did not. From that time forward, she was raised as an only child by her mother—an experience that fostered her independence, resilience, and quiet strength.
Mary graduated from Bates College with a degree in biology, an uncommon achievement for a woman of her generation. While attending her family church, Sixth Street Congregational Church in Auburn, Maine, she met a newly arrived young pastor, Francis Ross Kelly. Mary’s focus and determination were unmistakable, and the two were married on July 13, 1946.
Mary and Frank welcomed their only child, Mary Alice Kelly, at Central Maine Medical Center. Over the years, they made homes in Westerly, Rhode Island; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Barre, Massachusetts. After Frank’s retirement, they settled in Wilmington, Delaware. Following his passing, Mary moved to Fairfax, Virginia, to be near her daughter and family.
For the final fifteen years of her life, Mary lived with Tom and Mary (Kelly) O’Connor, sharing daily life, celebrations, and family milestones.
Music, Learning, and Creativity
A lifelong learner, Mary had a deep love of music. Although her daughter took piano lessons as a child, Mary learned by listening and observing. As an adult, she taught herself to play the piano and later used that knowledge to teach herself the organ. She became the organist at the local Roman Catholic Church—while her husband preached at the Congregational church across town.
Mary was also an accomplished knitter and sold many of her beautifully crafted creations. She loved to read and authored several published children’s stories, reflecting her imagination, creativity, and warmth.
Adventures and Resilience
Mary’s life included both adventure and remarkable perseverance. During Hurricane Carol in 1952, while living near Misquamicut, Rhode Island, she famously suggested, “Let’s go down and see the waves.” Rising floodwaters soon surrounded their car, and they would likely have been swept out to sea if not for a truck driver who pushed them to safety. Mary later preserved photographs of people rowing boats through flooded streets.
Her medical history reflected extraordinary resilience. Mary survived colon cancer twice—alongside her husband and sister-in-law, who did not. She later participated in a clinical trial for the cancer drug Camptosar and again survived. She learned to drive as an adult so she and her husband could travel cross-country from Connecticut to Seattle to visit her brother.
Later Years and Joys
After her daughter graduated from college, Mary and Frank traveled to exotic destinations with Globus Gateway travel groups. In later years, Mary especially enjoyed solving jigsaw puzzles, walking with her husband while collecting coins others had dropped, and playing Monopoly online with her grandson Michael Kelly O’Connor using FaceTime and iPads.
Music remained central to her life. She delighted in playing round-robin piano duets and trios with Chris Hagan, her grandson Michael, and her daughter Mary—moments filled with laughter, concentration, and shared joy.
Closing Reflection
Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly lived a long life marked by curiosity, perseverance, creativity, and quiet courage. She survived much, learned constantly, lived on her own terms and cherished her independence. Her legacy lives on through music played, stories written, puzzles solved, journeys taken, and the family who knew her strength and grace firsthand.
Mary’s Memorial Service will be May 2, 2026 at 2pm. Pender UMC, 12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA.