Betty Mae Kelly, 87, of Darien, passed away suddenly but peacefully in her sleep, on Sept. 15, 2021, at her home.
A celebration of Betty’s life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 416 W. Geneva Street, Delavan. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. until the service at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Rickman and the Rev. Ritter officiating. Those wishing to sign Betty’s guest book online may do so at www.lffh.net. Burial will take place at the Darien Cemetery.
She was born May 6, 1934, to Fred and Dorthea (Holsten) Sanderson. She attended the Wisconsin School for the Deaf and graduated in 1953. She married Guy R. Kelly on April 24, 1954, in Columbus.
Betty was employed at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf (WSD) as a child care counselor for 32 years until she retired in 1990.
In 2008, she was inducted to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf Hall of Fame for her services to the deaf community. She was well known as the “go-to” person in the local deaf community. She served as social director for the Southern Lakes Association of the Deaf in Delavan and has been in charge of coffee socials at the clubhouse from 1992 to 2020. She served on countless committees in a variety of capacities including chairmanship for SLAD, National Fraternal Society of the Deaf Division No. 80 and the WSD Alumni Association for over 40 years ranging from NFSD picnics, Martin Luther King Day Pancake Breakfast, Deaf Picnic, Maxwell Street Day Corn sales to WSD’s 100th and 150th anniversary celebrations and WSDAA reunions. She has served thousands of meals over the years and has donated numerous own-made Afghans, quilts and blankets to various organizations for fundraisers. She recently donated knitted caps for newborns at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center. Betty was honored with a dedication in the 1990 WSD yearbook.
She enjoyed camping, watching sports, traveling, spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her family was first and foremost on her mind.
Betty is survived by her two sons, Ed of Long Beach, Calif. and Dean and his wife Susie of Darien; two of their children, Ryan and his partner Ketsi of Indianapolis, and Casey and his partner, Nola of Darien; four great-grandchildren, Jett of Washington D.C. and Kyra, and Zeke and Koby of Darien; and one brother-in-law, Steve of Green Valley, Ariz.
Pallbearers will be: Ed Kelly, Dean Kelly, Susie Kelly, Ryan Kelly, Casey Kelly, Jett Kelly and honorary pallbearer, Steve Kelly.
Lazarczyk Family Funeral Homes – Betzer Chapel of Delavan is serving the family.
