She was a caregiver at heart
LYNNFIELD — Barbara J. (Shell) Kelly, 85, passed away on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at Cornerstone Hospice House in The Villages, Florida and was reunited with her high school sweetheart and late husband, John ‘Jack’ T. Kelly.
Barbara was born in Lawrence on May 31, 1937. She was the only daughter of the late Harry R. and Gertrude J. (Campbell) Shell. For 40 years, Barbara resided in Lynnfield before moving to The Villages with her late husband for her next phase of their lives.
Barbara worked as a CNA at multiple locations in Wakefield and Winchester, including the rest home owned by her mother. Throughout her career, she was generous, caring and compassionate about her residents. Upon retiring to The Villages, she continued her work caring for people as a volunteer at The Villages Regional Hospital in the oncology department.
Upon the death of her late husband, Barbara moved to an assisted living home where, in her spare time, she held a seat on the resident council, where she advocated for residents and helped resolve issues with the management. While there, she loved socializing, playing Uno and Bingo with friends, heading out for lunches and participating in other group activities. Barbara was deeply involved in her faith, conducting many Bible studies in her earlier years and sharing her faith with her friends and family in her later years.
Her parents, Harry and Gertrude; her grandson Phillip; and her four brothers preceded Barbara in death: Donald, Paul, Robert and Richard. Her son Brian and his wife Beth Kelly of Billerica; her daughter Dina and her husband, Richard Page of Haslet, Texas; her daughter Jacqueline and her husband Gary Cieszynski of Windham, New Hampshire and her daughter Barbara Kelly of Maynard survive Barbara. She also leaves behind her brother William Shell of Winthrop; her sister-in-law Margaret Laliberte of Chelmsford; her brother-in-law Robert Kelly of Coventry, Rhode Island; and many nieces and nephews. Barbara is survived by her eight grandchildren and their spouses: Gillian and her husband Drew Harrison; Tyler and his wife Lauren; Joshua and his wife Lauren; Alexa; Eric; Johnny and Lindsay as well as her two great-granddaughters: Ellie and Everly.
Cremation has taken place at Banks/Page-Theus Funeral Home, 410 Webster St. Wildwood, FL. Barbara’s graveside Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 28 at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 185 Lake St., Peabody, MA 01960.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Cornerstone Hospice, The Villages Hospice House, 601 Mariposa Way, The Villages, FL 32162 in the memory of Barbara J Kelly.
