Sheila Laura (“Janie”) Kelly Dies at 91
Monday, November 29, 2021
Sheila Laura ("Janie") Kelly, age 91, of East Blackstone, MA passed away on Saturday, November 27th, surrounded by her loving family.
Sheila was born on July 26, 1930 in London, England to Alfred and Florence Jones and grew up there with her older brother, Peter. After secondary school, she graduated from London Teacher's Training College and taught elementary education in London for five years.
After moving to the U.S. in 1957, Sheila married Seth Schofield (Scho) Kelly of East Blackstone, where they raised their five children on the Kelly family farm. She continued to teach elementary education for more than 25 years in MA and RI, retiring in 1992. Sheila then began her second "career" as beloved "Nana" to her ten grandchildren. She took great pride in teaching them to read and to make a proper cup of tea (milk not cream), and she loved sharing her firsthand experience of living in London during World War II. Throughout her life, she was an avid reader and history buff and loved all things antique.
Sheila is survived by her four daughters, Beverley (Jack) Ryan of Osterville, MA, Meredith (Edward) Wojciechowski of Uxbridge, MA, Frances Kelly of Blackstone, MA, and Lesley (Stephen) Ross of Franklin, MA; her ten grandchildren, Andy (Julianne) Ryan, Katie Ryan, Megan Ross, Abigail (Bryan) Torres, Chloe Ross, Cooper Ross, Sam Wojciechowski, Seth Wojciechowski, Ben Wojciechowski, and Lexi Wojciechowski; and her sole great-grandchild, Caleb Torres. "Auntie Janie" is also survived by her niece, Sally Ann (Stanley) Downey, her nephew, Simon (Sandra) Jones, and many great-nieces and nephews across the pond. In addition to her husband, Scho, she is predeceased by her son, Andrew S. Kelly, both of whom she adored and is now happily reunited with.
A funeral service, with Reverend Bonnie Steinroeder officiating, will be held at 10 am on Friday, December 3, 2021 at Christ Community Church of Blackstone (Church Street, Blackstone) and may be viewed live online.
The service will be followed by a graveside burial at the East Blackstone Quaker Cemetery (197 Elm Street, Blackstone).
The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, December 2nd at Holt's Funeral Home, 510 South Main Street, Woonsocket, RI.
The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the staff of Milford Regional Hospital for the care and compassion shown our mother during her final days.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to the Andrew S. Kelly Memorial Scholarship Fund (c/o Kim Briggs, Manager, UniBank for Savings, 10 Cheney Street, Blackstone, MA 01504) or the East Blackstone Quaker Meeting House & Cemetery Historical Association (c/o Ann Durham, 194 Elm Street, Blackstone, MA 01504).
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