Patsy Wooten Kelly died on November 12, 2020, after a brief illness. She lived 90 years on her own optimistic terms. She was born in 1930 into a large and close-knit farm family at Wootens Crossroads in Lenoir County, NC. From her parents, Sallie Lou Macon Wooten and Elmer Simmons Wooten, she learned the importance of education and serving others. From her mother, she gained a love of family and its history as well as a joy for life. From her father, she became enamored with politics and developed a keen business sense.
Perhaps thanks to her siblings, all of whom she loved dearly, she developed uncommon persistence and fearlessness. Her siblings were very much on her mind in the last year. They were Emma Plummer Melero (Andy), Elmer Macon Wooten (Shirley), Dan Parrott Wooten (Zulene), Mamie Wooten Sharp, and Lillian Wooten McIver (Ron). In her last years, she enjoyed sharing memories with Zulene, Lillian, and Ron. One of her many entertaining stories was of driving a school bus at age 14 during WWII on rutted, unpaved country roads. Another was of riding to Morehead City with her mother and siblings every summer. With no refrigeration for food, they traveled with live chickens in coops strapped to the top of the car.
Patsy attended Duke University, majoring in education, and became lifelong friends with Jack and Rebecca Matlock. She was pleased decades later to visit her grandson in Pegram dorm, where she and Becky had roomed. She also was thrilled to attend an event last year when Duke recognized the Matlocks for donating to the university the records from their work in the foreign service. With a twinkle in her eye, Patsy quizzed the parking attendant on whether it was permissible for her daughter, who drove her to the event, to use the VIP parking pass since she was a UNC grad.
Her love of Duke was enhanced when she met medical student Dick Kelly on the bus that ran between East and West campuses. Despite a rocky start (he fell asleep on their first date to the Morehead Planetarium), she married Richard Alexander Kelly, Jr. on September 5, 1953, and they had 60 wonderful years together. He adored her and she was devoted to him. She took care every afternoon just before she expected him home to apply fresh lipstick and make sure her hair was in place. They had four children, ten grandchildren, and as of last month, nine great-grandchildren.
Dick loved telling a story that reflected Patsy’s charm, persistence, and facility with numbers. Doctors with large, solo practices were prime targets for IRS audits in the 1960s. After three time-consuming audits in a row that yielded only minor adjustments, he received notice that he was going to be audited again. Patsy told him she could handle it and spent three hours with an IRS agent going over the books. She came home with a refund and they never were audited again.
Patsy was known for her sense of style. A classmate of one of her children reminisced at a 40-year school reunion that Patsy was the mother who was always “turned out” at every event. Little did she know that Patsy’s beauty arsenal was mainly lipstick, hairspray, a brush, unscented baby oil, and clothes typically bought on sale.
Her stylish instincts really showed when she began buying fixer-upper homes and transforming them into showplaces. She did this with eight houses, startling the Realtor when viewing the last house she purchased by whipping a screwdriver out of her purse. Why a screwdriver? To take off some light switch covers to eyeball the quality of the wall insulation. She was never happier than when she had her husband and progeny painting, gardening, or otherwise working on one of these projects. Late in life, her visual acuity manifested itself in a love of working puzzles, a skill that was a godsend in her retirement community when the Covid19 pandemic required a lockdown.
A natural educator, Patsy was fearless in her teaching. As a first-year teacher of a large class of fifth graders, she assigned them to build an orchestra out of toothpicks, pipe cleaners, and such. It was a surprisingly successful project since she never professed a particular interest in music. As a young mother, she volunteered, when no one else did, to teach a new Sunday School class to be offered at First Baptist Church in Greensboro for developmentally disabled children and adults from across the city. The class grew to more than 50 students. She later reflected that God had tapped her for this ministry. Her passions for this work and for a bargain united when she purchased a used blue-gray limousine, first owned by the Pentagon, and then by a funeral home (very few vans were available then). She wanted the car in order to give rides to her students who could not otherwise get to and from Sunday School. Her school bus driving experience stood her in good stead when she drove around town, unperturbed by passengers of all ages using the controls in the back to raise and lower windows, including the one between the front and back seats, and constantly adjusting the radio volume.
Patsy was bereft when her beloved husband passed away in 2014 after a long illness. Her niece Rhonda Blake traveled across the state to acquire and bring to her a three-year-old rescue miniature poodle named Scooter. He became the light of Patsy’s life. After moving to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen in 2018, everyone recognized the pair from their frequent walks, and Scooter became something of a mascot for all the residents in her building.
After Dick’s death, Patsy found new friendships and support from the Brewer-Johnson Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. A friend from church, Bonnie Baker, encouraged her to consider moving to the Oaks. It was the perfect place for her and Scooter because of the unceasing support of the staff and new friendships formed with other residents. Plus, she no longer had to cook for herself. Any meal prepared for her by someone else was “the best meal she ever ate.”
Patsy is survived by daughter Susan Kelly Nichols and husband Chuck of Raleigh; and sons Richard Alexander Kelly, III, and wife Rose Mary of Greenville, SC, Charles Simmons Kelly and wife Anita of York, SC, and Ralph Wooten Kelly and wife Becky of Raleigh. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Rebecca Kelly Goernandt and husband Christian and children Martin, Olivia, and Tobi of Wedderstedt, Germany; Richard Alexander Kelly, IV, and wife Felicity and sons Alex (V) and Auden of Houston, TX; Charles Francis Nichols and wife Eri Kajita and son Chuck of Tokyo, Japan; Charles Simmons Kelly, Jr., and wife Alex Hendrickson-Kelly of Nashville, TN; James Hancock Kelly and wife Ashley of Houston; Allison Kelly Bogue and husband Bryan and sons Ty and Carter and daughter Harvey of Talking Rock, GA; Hannah Kelly Rodriquez and husband Silas of Austin, TX; Patrick Kelly Nichols and wife Presley of New York City; Kristen Randall Kelly of Greenville, SC; and Esther Susanna Kelly of Houston. Patsy is also survived by her goddaughter and niece Mary Margaret Melero Hunter and husband Monte of North Augusta, SC. She was fortunate to have many other nieces and nephews and was always happy to see them and hear about their growing families.
A private graveside service for the immediate family with the Reverend Dr. Christopher C.F. Chapman presiding is planned for November 15, 2020, at 2 p.m. The service will appear live on Facebook on the page of Susan Nichols.
Perhaps thanks to her siblings, all of whom she loved dearly, she developed uncommon persistence and fearlessness. Her siblings were very much on her mind in the last year. They were Emma Plummer Melero (Andy), Elmer Macon Wooten (Shirley), Dan Parrott Wooten (Zulene), Mamie Wooten Sharp, and Lillian Wooten McIver (Ron). In her last years, she enjoyed sharing memories with Zulene, Lillian, and Ron. One of her many entertaining stories was of driving a school bus at age 14 during WWII on rutted, unpaved country roads. Another was of riding to Morehead City with her mother and siblings every summer. With no refrigeration for food, they traveled with live chickens in coops strapped to the top of the car.
Patsy attended Duke University, majoring in education, and became lifelong friends with Jack and Rebecca Matlock. She was pleased decades later to visit her grandson in Pegram dorm, where she and Becky had roomed. She also was thrilled to attend an event last year when Duke recognized the Matlocks for donating to the university the records from their work in the foreign service. With a twinkle in her eye, Patsy quizzed the parking attendant on whether it was permissible for her daughter, who drove her to the event, to use the VIP parking pass since she was a UNC grad.
Her love of Duke was enhanced when she met medical student Dick Kelly on the bus that ran between East and West campuses. Despite a rocky start (he fell asleep on their first date to the Morehead Planetarium), she married Richard Alexander Kelly, Jr. on September 5, 1953, and they had 60 wonderful years together. He adored her and she was devoted to him. She took care every afternoon just before she expected him home to apply fresh lipstick and make sure her hair was in place. They had four children, ten grandchildren, and as of last month, nine great-grandchildren.
Dick loved telling a story that reflected Patsy’s charm, persistence, and facility with numbers. Doctors with large, solo practices were prime targets for IRS audits in the 1960s. After three time-consuming audits in a row that yielded only minor adjustments, he received notice that he was going to be audited again. Patsy told him she could handle it and spent three hours with an IRS agent going over the books. She came home with a refund and they never were audited again.
Patsy was known for her sense of style. A classmate of one of her children reminisced at a 40-year school reunion that Patsy was the mother who was always “turned out” at every event. Little did she know that Patsy’s beauty arsenal was mainly lipstick, hairspray, a brush, unscented baby oil, and clothes typically bought on sale.
Her stylish instincts really showed when she began buying fixer-upper homes and transforming them into showplaces. She did this with eight houses, startling the Realtor when viewing the last house she purchased by whipping a screwdriver out of her purse. Why a screwdriver? To take off some light switch covers to eyeball the quality of the wall insulation. She was never happier than when she had her husband and progeny painting, gardening, or otherwise working on one of these projects. Late in life, her visual acuity manifested itself in a love of working puzzles, a skill that was a godsend in her retirement community when the Covid19 pandemic required a lockdown.
A natural educator, Patsy was fearless in her teaching. As a first-year teacher of a large class of fifth graders, she assigned them to build an orchestra out of toothpicks, pipe cleaners, and such. It was a surprisingly successful project since she never professed a particular interest in music. As a young mother, she volunteered, when no one else did, to teach a new Sunday School class to be offered at First Baptist Church in Greensboro for developmentally disabled children and adults from across the city. The class grew to more than 50 students. She later reflected that God had tapped her for this ministry. Her passions for this work and for a bargain united when she purchased a used blue-gray limousine, first owned by the Pentagon, and then by a funeral home (very few vans were available then). She wanted the car in order to give rides to her students who could not otherwise get to and from Sunday School. Her school bus driving experience stood her in good stead when she drove around town, unperturbed by passengers of all ages using the controls in the back to raise and lower windows, including the one between the front and back seats, and constantly adjusting the radio volume.
Patsy was bereft when her beloved husband passed away in 2014 after a long illness. Her niece Rhonda Blake traveled across the state to acquire and bring to her a three-year-old rescue miniature poodle named Scooter. He became the light of Patsy’s life. After moving to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen in 2018, everyone recognized the pair from their frequent walks, and Scooter became something of a mascot for all the residents in her building.
After Dick’s death, Patsy found new friendships and support from the Brewer-Johnson Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. A friend from church, Bonnie Baker, encouraged her to consider moving to the Oaks. It was the perfect place for her and Scooter because of the unceasing support of the staff and new friendships formed with other residents. Plus, she no longer had to cook for herself. Any meal prepared for her by someone else was “the best meal she ever ate.”
Patsy is survived by daughter Susan Kelly Nichols and husband Chuck of Raleigh; and sons Richard Alexander Kelly, III, and wife Rose Mary of Greenville, SC, Charles Simmons Kelly and wife Anita of York, SC, and Ralph Wooten Kelly and wife Becky of Raleigh. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Rebecca Kelly Goernandt and husband Christian and children Martin, Olivia, and Tobi of Wedderstedt, Germany; Richard Alexander Kelly, IV, and wife Felicity and sons Alex (V) and Auden of Houston, TX; Charles Francis Nichols and wife Eri Kajita and son Chuck of Tokyo, Japan; Charles Simmons Kelly, Jr., and wife Alex Hendrickson-Kelly of Nashville, TN; James Hancock Kelly and wife Ashley of Houston; Allison Kelly Bogue and husband Bryan and sons Ty and Carter and daughter Harvey of Talking Rock, GA; Hannah Kelly Rodriquez and husband Silas of Austin, TX; Patrick Kelly Nichols and wife Presley of New York City; Kristen Randall Kelly of Greenville, SC; and Esther Susanna Kelly of Houston. Patsy is also survived by her goddaughter and niece Mary Margaret Melero Hunter and husband Monte of North Augusta, SC. She was fortunate to have many other nieces and nephews and was always happy to see them and hear about their growing families.
A private graveside service for the immediate family with the Reverend Dr. Christopher C.F. Chapman presiding is planned for November 15, 2020, at 2 p.m. The service will appear live on Facebook on the page of Susan Nichols.
Patsy Wooten Kelly died on November 12, 2020, after a brief illness. She lived 90 years on her own optimistic terms. She was born in 1930 into a large and close-knit farm family at Wootens Crossroads in Lenoir County, NC. From her parents, Sallie Lou Macon Wooten and Elmer Simmons Wooten, she learned the importance of education and serving others. From her mother, she gained a love of family and its history as well as a joy for life. From her father, she became enamored with politics and developed a keen business sense.
Perhaps thanks to her siblings, all of whom she loved dearly, she developed uncommon persistence and fearlessness. Her siblings were very much on her mind in the last year. They were Emma Plummer Melero (Andy), Elmer Macon Wooten (Shirley), Dan Parrott Wooten (Zulene), Mamie Wooten Sharp, and Lillian Wooten McIver (Ron). In her last years, she enjoyed sharing memories with Zulene, Lillian, and Ron. One of her many entertaining stories was of driving a school bus at age 14 during WWII on rutted, unpaved country roads. Another was of riding to Morehead City with her mother and siblings every summer. With no refrigeration for food, they traveled with live chickens in coops strapped to the top of the car.
Patsy attended Duke University, majoring in education, and became lifelong friends with Jack and Rebecca Matlock. She was pleased decades later to visit her grandson in Pegram dorm, where she and Becky had roomed. She also was thrilled to attend an event last year when Duke recognized the Matlocks for donating to the university the records from their work in the foreign service. With a twinkle in her eye, Patsy quizzed the parking attendant on whether it was permissible for her daughter, who drove her to the event, to use the VIP parking pass since she was a UNC grad.
Her love of Duke was enhanced when she met medical student Dick Kelly on the bus that ran between East and West campuses. Despite a rocky start (he fell asleep on their first date to the Morehead Planetarium), she married Richard Alexander Kelly, Jr. on September 5, 1953, and they had 60 wonderful years together. He adored her and she was devoted to him. She took care every afternoon just before she expected him home to apply fresh lipstick and make sure her hair was in place. They had four children, ten grandchildren, and as of last month, nine great-grandchildren.
Dick loved telling a story that reflected Patsy’s charm, persistence, and facility with numbers. Doctors with large, solo practices were prime targets for IRS audits in the 1960s. After three time-consuming audits in a row that yielded only minor adjustments, he received notice that he was going to be audited again. Patsy told him she could handle it and spent three hours with an IRS agent going over the books. She came home with a refund and they never were audited again.
Patsy was known for her sense of style. A classmate of one of her children reminisced at a 40-year school reunion that Patsy was the mother who was always “turned out” at every event. Little did she know that Patsy’s beauty arsenal was mainly lipstick, hairspray, a brush, unscented baby oil, and clothes typically bought on sale.
Her stylish instincts really showed when she began buying fixer-upper homes and transforming them into showplaces. She did this with eight houses, startling the Realtor when viewing the last house she purchased by whipping a screwdriver out of her purse. Why a screwdriver? To take off some light switch covers to eyeball the quality of the wall insulation. She was never happier than when she had her husband and progeny painting, gardening, or otherwise working on one of these projects. Late in life, her visual acuity manifested itself in a love of working puzzles, a skill that was a godsend in her retirement community when the Covid19 pandemic required a lockdown.
A natural educator, Patsy was fearless in her teaching. As a first-year teacher of a large class of fifth graders, she assigned them to build an orchestra out of toothpicks, pipe cleaners, and such. It was a surprisingly successful project since she never professed a particular interest in music. As a young mother, she volunteered, when no one else did, to teach a new Sunday School class to be offered at First Baptist Church in Greensboro for developmentally disabled children and adults from across the city. The class grew to more than 50 students. She later reflected that God had tapped her for this ministry. Her passions for this work and for a bargain united when she purchased a used blue-gray limousine, first owned by the Pentagon, and then by a funeral home (very few vans were available then). She wanted the car in order to give rides to her students who could not otherwise get to and from Sunday School. Her school bus driving experience stood her in good stead when she drove around town, unperturbed by passengers of all ages using the controls in the back to raise and lower windows, including the one between the front and back seats, and constantly adjusting the radio volume.
Patsy was bereft when her beloved husband passed away in 2014 after a long illness. Her niece Rhonda Blake traveled across the state to acquire and bring to her a three-year-old rescue miniature poodle named Scooter. He became the light of Patsy’s life. After moving to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen in 2018, everyone recognized the pair from their frequent walks, and Scooter became something of a mascot for all the residents in her building.
After Dick’s death, Patsy found new friendships and support from the Brewer-Johnson Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. A friend from church, Bonnie Baker, encouraged her to consider moving to the Oaks. It was the perfect place for her and Scooter because of the unceasing support of the staff and new friendships formed with other residents. Plus, she no longer had to cook for herself. Any meal prepared for her by someone else was “the best meal she ever ate.”
Patsy is survived by daughter Susan Kelly Nichols and husband Chuck of Raleigh; and sons Richard Alexander Kelly, III, and wife Rose Mary of Greenville, SC, Charles Simmons Kelly and wife Anita of York, SC, and Ralph Wooten Kelly and wife Becky of Raleigh. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Rebecca Kelly Goernandt and husband Christian and children Martin, Olivia, and Tobi of Wedderstedt, Germany; Richard Alexander Kelly, IV, and wife Felicity and sons Alex (V) and Auden of Houston, TX; Charles Francis Nichols and wife Eri Kajita and son Chuck of Tokyo, Japan; Charles Simmons Kelly, Jr., and wife Alex Hendrickson-Kelly of Nashville, TN; James Hancock Kelly and wife Ashley of Houston; Allison Kelly Bogue and husband Bryan and sons Ty and Carter and daughter Harvey of Talking Rock, GA; Hannah Kelly Rodriquez and husband Silas of Austin, TX; Patrick Kelly Nichols and wife Presley of New York City; Kristen Randall Kelly of Greenville, SC; and Esther Susanna Kelly of Houston. Patsy is also survived by her goddaughter and niece Mary Margaret Melero Hunter and husband Monte of North Augusta, SC. She was fortunate to have many other nieces and nephews and was always happy to see them and hear about their growing families.
A private graveside service for the immediate family with the Reverend Dr. Christopher C.F. Chapman presiding is planned for November 15, 2020, at 2 p.m. The service will appear live on Facebook on the page of Susan Nichols.
Perhaps thanks to her siblings, all of whom she loved dearly, she developed uncommon persistence and fearlessness. Her siblings were very much on her mind in the last year. They were Emma Plummer Melero (Andy), Elmer Macon Wooten (Shirley), Dan Parrott Wooten (Zulene), Mamie Wooten Sharp, and Lillian Wooten McIver (Ron). In her last years, she enjoyed sharing memories with Zulene, Lillian, and Ron. One of her many entertaining stories was of driving a school bus at age 14 during WWII on rutted, unpaved country roads. Another was of riding to Morehead City with her mother and siblings every summer. With no refrigeration for food, they traveled with live chickens in coops strapped to the top of the car.
Patsy attended Duke University, majoring in education, and became lifelong friends with Jack and Rebecca Matlock. She was pleased decades later to visit her grandson in Pegram dorm, where she and Becky had roomed. She also was thrilled to attend an event last year when Duke recognized the Matlocks for donating to the university the records from their work in the foreign service. With a twinkle in her eye, Patsy quizzed the parking attendant on whether it was permissible for her daughter, who drove her to the event, to use the VIP parking pass since she was a UNC grad.
Her love of Duke was enhanced when she met medical student Dick Kelly on the bus that ran between East and West campuses. Despite a rocky start (he fell asleep on their first date to the Morehead Planetarium), she married Richard Alexander Kelly, Jr. on September 5, 1953, and they had 60 wonderful years together. He adored her and she was devoted to him. She took care every afternoon just before she expected him home to apply fresh lipstick and make sure her hair was in place. They had four children, ten grandchildren, and as of last month, nine great-grandchildren.
Dick loved telling a story that reflected Patsy’s charm, persistence, and facility with numbers. Doctors with large, solo practices were prime targets for IRS audits in the 1960s. After three time-consuming audits in a row that yielded only minor adjustments, he received notice that he was going to be audited again. Patsy told him she could handle it and spent three hours with an IRS agent going over the books. She came home with a refund and they never were audited again.
Patsy was known for her sense of style. A classmate of one of her children reminisced at a 40-year school reunion that Patsy was the mother who was always “turned out” at every event. Little did she know that Patsy’s beauty arsenal was mainly lipstick, hairspray, a brush, unscented baby oil, and clothes typically bought on sale.
Her stylish instincts really showed when she began buying fixer-upper homes and transforming them into showplaces. She did this with eight houses, startling the Realtor when viewing the last house she purchased by whipping a screwdriver out of her purse. Why a screwdriver? To take off some light switch covers to eyeball the quality of the wall insulation. She was never happier than when she had her husband and progeny painting, gardening, or otherwise working on one of these projects. Late in life, her visual acuity manifested itself in a love of working puzzles, a skill that was a godsend in her retirement community when the Covid19 pandemic required a lockdown.
A natural educator, Patsy was fearless in her teaching. As a first-year teacher of a large class of fifth graders, she assigned them to build an orchestra out of toothpicks, pipe cleaners, and such. It was a surprisingly successful project since she never professed a particular interest in music. As a young mother, she volunteered, when no one else did, to teach a new Sunday School class to be offered at First Baptist Church in Greensboro for developmentally disabled children and adults from across the city. The class grew to more than 50 students. She later reflected that God had tapped her for this ministry. Her passions for this work and for a bargain united when she purchased a used blue-gray limousine, first owned by the Pentagon, and then by a funeral home (very few vans were available then). She wanted the car in order to give rides to her students who could not otherwise get to and from Sunday School. Her school bus driving experience stood her in good stead when she drove around town, unperturbed by passengers of all ages using the controls in the back to raise and lower windows, including the one between the front and back seats, and constantly adjusting the radio volume.
Patsy was bereft when her beloved husband passed away in 2014 after a long illness. Her niece Rhonda Blake traveled across the state to acquire and bring to her a three-year-old rescue miniature poodle named Scooter. He became the light of Patsy’s life. After moving to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen in 2018, everyone recognized the pair from their frequent walks, and Scooter became something of a mascot for all the residents in her building.
After Dick’s death, Patsy found new friendships and support from the Brewer-Johnson Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. A friend from church, Bonnie Baker, encouraged her to consider moving to the Oaks. It was the perfect place for her and Scooter because of the unceasing support of the staff and new friendships formed with other residents. Plus, she no longer had to cook for herself. Any meal prepared for her by someone else was “the best meal she ever ate.”
Patsy is survived by daughter Susan Kelly Nichols and husband Chuck of Raleigh; and sons Richard Alexander Kelly, III, and wife Rose Mary of Greenville, SC, Charles Simmons Kelly and wife Anita of York, SC, and Ralph Wooten Kelly and wife Becky of Raleigh. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Rebecca Kelly Goernandt and husband Christian and children Martin, Olivia, and Tobi of Wedderstedt, Germany; Richard Alexander Kelly, IV, and wife Felicity and sons Alex (V) and Auden of Houston, TX; Charles Francis Nichols and wife Eri Kajita and son Chuck of Tokyo, Japan; Charles Simmons Kelly, Jr., and wife Alex Hendrickson-Kelly of Nashville, TN; James Hancock Kelly and wife Ashley of Houston; Allison Kelly Bogue and husband Bryan and sons Ty and Carter and daughter Harvey of Talking Rock, GA; Hannah Kelly Rodriquez and husband Silas of Austin, TX; Patrick Kelly Nichols and wife Presley of New York City; Kristen Randall Kelly of Greenville, SC; and Esther Susanna Kelly of Houston. Patsy is also survived by her goddaughter and niece Mary Margaret Melero Hunter and husband Monte of North Augusta, SC. She was fortunate to have many other nieces and nephews and was always happy to see them and hear about their growing families.
A private graveside service for the immediate family with the Reverend Dr. Christopher C.F. Chapman presiding is planned for November 15, 2020, at 2 p.m. The service will appear live on Facebook on the page of Susan Nichols.
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