1923
Louise
2012
Louise E. Kelley
March 12, 1923 — July 2, 2012
Louise Ethel Gifford Kelley, 89, a Plymouth resident since 2007, passed away at 2:40 a.m. on Monday, July 2, 2012 in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth. She had previously lived in the state of Massachusetts, Hobart, IN; Merrillville, IN; Gary, IN and Culver, IN.
The daughter of Thomas Albert and Edna Byron Myrick Gifford, Louise was born on March 12, 1923 in Acushnet, Massachusetts. She was a 1941 graduate of New Bedford High School in Massachusetts. She had furthered her education by taking courses in Bookkeeping.
On September 7, 1944, Louise and Robert Jerome Kelley, who were both in the Navy, were united in marriage by a Navy Chaplin in Quincy, Massachusetts. Robert preceded her in death on May 26, 1971.
A U S. Navy veteran, she repaired Aircraft Instruments during W.W.II. Louise enlisted in 1943 and was discharged in 1945.
Known as the Candy Lady, she made candy for her children, then had requests from others, which kept her business growing in her home in Merrillville. Louise also made Miss Indiana’s Cardinal outfit, was the seamstress for Anorean High School, in Merrillville, worked at the Post office substation in Merrillville, was a secretary at St. Peters and Paul Church in Merrillville, had been the bookkeeper for Superior Drywall in Valparaiso and had opened a candy store in Massachusetts.
A neighbor once told Louise that she had the “cleanest patched kids in the neighborhood”. Louise was a member of the American Legion Post #94 in Valparaiso, and the V.F.W. Post #6919 in Culver.
She is survived by five daughters and four sons. Her daughters are: Sister Kathleen Louise Kelley of Plymouth, Marleen (Jack) Baum of Valparaiso, Margaret A. (Donald) Kerr of N. Las Vegas, Jayne E. (Richard) Gifford of E. Freetown Mass. and Mary Fugate of Plymouth. Her sons are: Robert. J. (Pam) Kelley, Jr. of Columbus, OH, Jerald J. (Tommie) Kelley of Crown Point, John T. (Bobbett) Kelley of Ft. Wayne and Raymond J. (Delores) Kelley of Hobart. Also surviving are 22 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Robert, a son Tim Kelley, three Sisters: Edna Bastarache, Gladys De Balsi, Ethyl Dunsmore and four brothers: Thomas Gifford, Jr., Raymond Gifford, Kenneth Gifford and Lynwood Gifford.
Friends may visit with Louise’s family from 4 to 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. A Mass of Christian Burial, officiated by Fr. John Zemelko, will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, at 11:15 a.m. EDT at the Catherine Kasper Home Chapel, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Portage, IN.
Memorial contributions in Louise’s name may be made to the Cancer Association of Marshall County, 9739 Sunnyside Dr., Plymouth, IN 46563 or the Catherine Kasper Life Center, P.O. Box 1, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson, IN 46513
The daughter of Thomas Albert and Edna Byron Myrick Gifford, Louise was born on March 12, 1923 in Acushnet, Massachusetts. She was a 1941 graduate of New Bedford High School in Massachusetts. She had furthered her education by taking courses in Bookkeeping.
On September 7, 1944, Louise and Robert Jerome Kelley, who were both in the Navy, were united in marriage by a Navy Chaplin in Quincy, Massachusetts. Robert preceded her in death on May 26, 1971.
A U S. Navy veteran, she repaired Aircraft Instruments during W.W.II. Louise enlisted in 1943 and was discharged in 1945.
Known as the Candy Lady, she made candy for her children, then had requests from others, which kept her business growing in her home in Merrillville. Louise also made Miss Indiana’s Cardinal outfit, was the seamstress for Anorean High School, in Merrillville, worked at the Post office substation in Merrillville, was a secretary at St. Peters and Paul Church in Merrillville, had been the bookkeeper for Superior Drywall in Valparaiso and had opened a candy store in Massachusetts.
A neighbor once told Louise that she had the “cleanest patched kids in the neighborhood”. Louise was a member of the American Legion Post #94 in Valparaiso, and the V.F.W. Post #6919 in Culver.
She is survived by five daughters and four sons. Her daughters are: Sister Kathleen Louise Kelley of Plymouth, Marleen (Jack) Baum of Valparaiso, Margaret A. (Donald) Kerr of N. Las Vegas, Jayne E. (Richard) Gifford of E. Freetown Mass. and Mary Fugate of Plymouth. Her sons are: Robert. J. (Pam) Kelley, Jr. of Columbus, OH, Jerald J. (Tommie) Kelley of Crown Point, John T. (Bobbett) Kelley of Ft. Wayne and Raymond J. (Delores) Kelley of Hobart. Also surviving are 22 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Robert, a son Tim Kelley, three Sisters: Edna Bastarache, Gladys De Balsi, Ethyl Dunsmore and four brothers: Thomas Gifford, Jr., Raymond Gifford, Kenneth Gifford and Lynwood Gifford.
Friends may visit with Louise’s family from 4 to 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. A Mass of Christian Burial, officiated by Fr. John Zemelko, will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, at 11:15 a.m. EDT at the Catherine Kasper Home Chapel, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Portage, IN.
Memorial contributions in Louise’s name may be made to the Cancer Association of Marshall County, 9739 Sunnyside Dr., Plymouth, IN 46563 or the Catherine Kasper Life Center, P.O. Box 1, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson, IN 46513
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