Jean Kelly

Jean Kelly, age 84, of Fonda, Iowa died Thursday, July 16, 2015 at the Fonda Nursing and Rehab Center in Fonda. Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda. Burial will be in the Mt. Zion Catholic Cemetery in Fonda. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. The Mahaney Funeral Home in Fonda is in charge of the arrangements. Regina Joan O’Brien was born on April 3, 1932 in Churdan, IL, to Jeremiah and Ellen (Nell) O’Brien, a storeowner and homemaker, and baptized into the Catholic faith. She attended and graduated from O.L.G.C. School in Fonda. She married Mark Kelly on September 11, 1952 in the O.L.G.C. church and had three children, Deborah, Timothy and Joseph. Throughout her life, she was active in the community and her church, serving both in the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Daughters of America. She enjoyed reading, golfing two-ball and spending time with her family and friends. An avid cook and entertainer, there were always many places at her table. During his tenure in Fonda, Fr. Brennan was a fixture at the Kelly’s Sunday night supper. Every grandchild enjoyed the time perched on her kitchen counter making cookies and pie. When another, shorter, Jean married her brother-in-law Charles, she wasn’t keen on being called big or tall so she insisted nieces and nephews call her “Beautiful Aunt Jean”, a name that’s used to this day by family and friends who knew her well. Being a breast cancer survivor, and seeing several family members affected by the disease, led to a lifelong commitment to fundraising for cancer research. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society. Jean was preceded in death by her parents, and siblings Patricia Wagner, Paul O’Brien and Dorothy Kleen. Left to cherish her memory are her husband Mark, children Tim Kelly of Phoenix, AZ, Deb Gruntorad of Fonda and Joe Kelly of Storm Lake, grandchildren Courtney Walker of Fonda, Kelly Simpson, Kristen Peterson, and Erin Gruntorad of Des Moines, Ellen Gruntorad of Storm Lake, Zach Kelly and Jennifer Kelly of Phoenix, and nine great-grandchildren. The youngest great-grandchild, Maeve Regina, was named after her. A faithful, fearless and funny woman, Jean’s memory will live on in the hearts of her husband, children, grandchildren and all those who knew her well.

Jean Kelly

April 3, 1931 - July 16, 2015