Mary Jane Kelly

Mary J. Kelly, age 83, of Preston, Iowa, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2018 with her family by her side at Mercy Living Center North in Clinton, Iowa. A funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 2, 2018 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home., Preston. Burial will take place in the Preston Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 1, 2018 at the Funeral Home. In Mary’s honor, memorials may be made to Mercy Hospice.

Mary was born September 28, 1934, in Bellevue, Iowa, the daughter of Marvin and Avelda (Daniels) Meyer. She graduated from the Preston High School. On December 21, 1952, Mary married the love of her life, Glen Kelly. They celebrated 63 years of marriage.

Mary was a homemaker on the Kelly farm. She also owned and operated Kelly’s Greenhouse with her husband Glen since 1985. She is a past member of the Salem Lutheran Church, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed making paper mache crafts, reading, cooking, painting and collecting antiques. When her children were young, Mary loved dancing with them in the living room to Lawrence Welk and the Beverly Hillbillies. She cherished the time she spent with her grandchildren, and her dog, Mickey.

Mary will be dearly missed by her two daughters, Kim (Charles) Chastain and Terri (Randy) Sozio, both of Preston, Iowa; two sons, Michael (Heidi) Kelly of Preston, Iowa and Joel (Kristy) Kelly of Dubuque, Iowa; 17 grandchildren, Jill (Shawn) Budde, Marc (Maria) Farrell, Cathy (Chad) Bormann, Carrie (Randy) Lawrence, Jackie (Walt) King, Justine (AJ) Paradiso, Jordan Ehlers, John (Alyssa Dalrymple) Ehlers, Megan (Max Wasserman) Sozio, Jacquelyn Sozio, Anthony Sozio, Qynne Kelly, Kate (Kam) Winsor, Cole Kelly, Anthony Kelly, Brendon Kelly, Lucas Kelly and 16 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Alene (Ralph) Flor of Sabula, Dona (Lyle) Duhme of Savanna and Phyllis Henningsen of Bettendorf, Iowa; and her dog, Mickey. Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Glen in 2016, grand daughter Erin Kelly, son in law Don Farrell and both parents.