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- Theresa Alice Kelly, age 82, passed away on Wednesday, July 3 at St. Paul Hospice in Kaukauna after years of suffering a multitude of chronic diseases.
The youngest of eight children, Theresa was born on March 22, 1931 at the farm of parents Leonard and Petronella (nee Vanden Boogard) Van Thiel in Freedom, Wisconsin. Theresa and her parents moved to the Village of Little Chute when she was in the eighth grade where she attended St. John Nepomucene.
She lived most of her life in Kimberly, where she and John (Dale) Kelly, her husband of 37 years, raised their seven children. She is survived by her son, Stephen (Beth) Kelly, Sherwood and sons Jeremy and Kyle; son Dennis Kelly, Whitehall, WI; son Timothy Kelly, Kaukauna, and children Susan, Martin, Leah plus five great grandchildren; son Thomas, Sr. (Rebecca) Kelly, Appleton, and sons John (Jack), Thomas, Jr., and William (Billy); daughter Patricia Kelly, Marshfield; daughter, Margaret (Randy) Hartwig, Marshfield, and children Anthony and Abigale (Abby); son, Michael Kelly, Appleton; and sister Claire (Elmer) Wolfinger. She was preceded in death by Dale, and siblings John (Frances) Van Thiel, Alice (Lawrence) Gonnering, Delia (Merlin) Procknow, Edward (Joanne) Van Thiel, Marie (Clarence) Bongers, and Anna (Joseph) Stoffel.
Her lifelong compassion in caring for family, neighbors, friends, and strangers was cheerfully given without expectation of reward or recognition. She had a unwavering appreciation for God's creation, demonstrated by camping and fishing with her family; her flower gardens, her paintings of birds, water, trees and landscapes; and her lifelong welcome to family dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, gerbils and other critters. She enjoyed music, ballroom dancing, square dancing, singing, bowling, and swimming at the YMCA. She kept a good home for her family, evidenced only in part by her tireless blue-ribbon talents for cooking, sewing, canning and freezing - including very large volumes of jams of all sorts.
Theresa was an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, a 50-year continuous member and Past President of the American Legion Auxiliary since 1963, co-founder of Kimberly TOPS program, a member of Ladies of Holy Name, Kimberly, and project leader for Rainbow 4-H Club, Outagamie County.
Over the years, Theresa was employed by Tuttle Press, Appleton; Marty's Place, Kimberly; Fashions Plus-Valley Fair, Appleton; Reynebeau's of Little Chute; Gloudeman's and McCain's department stores, Downtown Appleton and Valley Fair; Katherine K Towne & Country, Downtown Appleton; and Lillies, Downtown Appleton.
Family and friends are welcome to a visitation at HOLY SPIRIT PARISH (600 East Kimberly Ave) in Kimberly from 4-6pm on Tuesday, July 9, with the Funeral Liturgy to follow at 6pm. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wichmanfargo.com.
Theresa's family would like to thank the staff at St. Paul Home and St. Paul Hospice for their compassion, care and spiritual support.
Because her surviving family doesn't like to say goodbye, they say, "So long, Mom! Until we meet again."
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1931 - 2013 (82 years)
