Marlene Ellen (DeLucry) Kelley
KELLEY, Marlene Ellen (DeLucry), 80, PRESQUE ISLE, January 15, 2014. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle.
PRESQUE ISLE – Marlene Ellen (DeLucry) Kelley left this life on January 15, 2014, surrounded by her children. She was born on June 6, 1933, in Mapleton.
She grew up on her family farm and her farming heritage shaped her throughout life, encompassing her lifelong loves of cooking, gardening, and homemaking. She graduated from Mapleton High School in 1953, where she cultivated her long-standing love of music in the glee club. Following graduation, she was employed as an operator at New England Telephone.
She met her future husband, Neal, during this time and the two were married shortly thereafter. In their lifetime together, Marlene raised their family, operated a family business, and maintained a large network of friends. She was employed by Aroostook County Homemakers as a home care visitor and eventually opened Kelley’s Fabric Care which she operated and managed for many years.
Marlene enjoyed an active volunteer life through PTA, schools, scouting, sorority, her faith community at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and served as a board member of the Aroostook County Homeless Shelter.
With Neal, she enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Ireland. She loved her flower garden, baking, and a good game of bridge or cribbage. In their retirement years, Marlene and Neal wintered with the Florida contingent of “snow birds” at Moontide and enjoyed the sun, sand and good friendship.
Marlene leaves this life to join her husband, Neal. She was also predeceased by her parents, Richard and Cora (Bolter) DeLucry; her brothers, Gerald and Osbourne DeLucry; and her infant daughter, Deborah Kelley.
She is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Anne and Larry LaPlante of Presque Isle, Nannette and Robert Balliot of Bristol, RI, Paula and Carl Flora of Presque Isle, Rebecca Kelley Morgan and Steve Buccieri of Andover, MA, Coralee and Jeff Thomson of Kittery; her son and his wife, Neal Christopher and Alisa Kelley of Barrington, RI. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Jennifer, Stephen and his wife, Elise, and Andrew LaPlante; Kathleen and her fiancé, Stephen Miles, Matthew, and Richard Flora; James, Sarah, and Jonathan Morgan; Patrick, David, and Ellen Thomson; and Caroline, Jackson, and Ian Kelley. She is also remembered by her great-grandson, Luke LaPlante; her sisterKathy Ann DeLucry, her lifelong best friend, Wilma Cambridge; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
There were no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10 a.m., Monday, January 20, 2014. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Parish of the Precious Blood, Presque Isle, with Rev. Raymond Morency Celebrant. A reception immediately followed the mass at the Knights of Columbus Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in Marlene’s memory can be made at the Sister Mary O’Donnell Homeless Shelter, 745 Central Drive, Presque Isle, ME 04769. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.
