Mrs. Virginia Lea “Jinny” (Romans) Kelly, age 94, of Rising Sun, Indiana, entered this life on June 15, 1929 near Aberdeen, Indiana. She was the loving daughter of Arthur and Nellie (Chandler) Romans. As the eldest of seven children, Jinny was often called upon to assist her mother with household duties which included caring for her younger siblings which she did in a diligent and caring manner. Jinny also had the opportunity to help her father with farm chores before and after school. She attended Allensville Elementary through grade 8 before advancing to Vevay High School where she continued her education until her family moved to the town of Patriot which resulted in Jinny finishing her education at Patriot High School. On October 12, 1946, she was united in marriage to Lewis “Bud” Kelly Sr. To this union, two sons were born. In 1952, the family moved to the Kelly farm on Quercus Grove Road; where they raised corn, hay, tobacco and milked cows for many years. In the early 1960’s, Jinny drove the huckster wagon for Kelly’s Grocery Store in Aberdeen. The job was physically demanding, but she loved being able to serve the community by visiting with old and new friends along her route, as most of her route included much of Ohio and Switzerland Counties. After driving the huckster wagon for many years, Jinny changed jobs over the years. She worked at The Master Chef and Ullrich’s Drug Store before accepting a job at the plastic factory from which she retired in 1974. Jinny was an active member of the Quercus Grove Methodist Church since childhood and very much enjoyed baking bread for Communion Sundays. Jinny and Bud were longtime members of the Hoosier Modulators CB Club and the Switzerland County and Franklin County Antique Tractor Clubs which they often displayed their antique tractors. No matter what activities they shared, the most important aspect of their lives was the boys, the grandchildren, the great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. One year, Jinny and Bud put all six grandchildren they had at the time into the car and took them Christmas shopping. Everyone was amazed at how well the grandchildren behaved, but they were out with their Nanny and Papa and they would never do anything to ruin such a memorable experience. After Bud passed away in 2010, Jinny decided to sell the family farm and move to the Senior Citizens Apartments in Rising Sun. She already had many friends who resided in the building including her sister-in-law Hazel Huffner. She and Hazel enjoyed taking walks and going shopping together. She was surrounded by friends and the Hoosier Boy which enriched her already very full life. Jinny loved her family more than anything in the world. She cared for her brothers and sisters, her own boys, and she was never too busy to care for one of the grandchildren or great-grandchildren. She often said she has had a child on each hip since she was 15 but she enjoyed every minute of it. She was always ready to cook a meal if someone showed up unexpectedly and no one left hungry. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, a sister, an aunt, a friend, and she was loved by all. She will be greatly missed. Jinny passed away at 6:55 a.m., Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at The Waters of Rising Sun in Rising Sun, Indiana.
Jinny will be missed by her sons, Lewis Kelly Jr. (Violet) of East Enterprise, IN and Rick Kelly Sr. (Kathy) of Rising Sun, IN; her grandchildren, Sheila Kelly (Paul) Fletcher, Rhonda Kelly Covington (Paul), Kristal Kelly Scott (Jason), Karoline Kelly Green (Jamie), Angel Kelly Clements (Jace), Casie Kelly Rohrback, Rickey Kelly Jr. (Ashlee), Kayla Kelly Green (Alex), Christy Duvall (Stacey) and Dustin Carfield; her great-grandchildren, Ashley, Abigail, Jakob, Amanda, Olivia, Lindsay, Michael, Alexis, Aaron, Courtney, Taylor, Kimber, Kelsea, Noah, Braxton, Koby, Maddelynn, Jessica and Derek; her great-great-grandchildren, Kaydin, Karter, Remington, Jaylee, Lucas, Payton, Ellie, Nico and Grace; her sister, Janice Meadors (Tom) of Patriot, IN; her sisters-in-law, Willowdean Kelly Niccum of Aberdeen, IN, Joyce Romans of Pelion, SC and Hazel Huffner of Rising Sun, IN and her several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Lewis “Bud” Kelly Sr.; her unborn infant son; her parents, Arthur and Nellie Romans; her brothers, Claude (Ruth) Romans, Harold Romans and Vernon Romans; her sisters, Patricia (Gene) Hunefeld and Naomi (Frank) Endres; her daughter-in-law, Debbie Kelly; her grandsons-in-law, Larry (Pup) Norfleet and Gene Siekman; her nieces, Julie Hunefeld Walton and Ruth Niccum (Ernie) Hunt; her nephews, Greg Romans, Brian Romans and Michael W. “Mike” Romans and her brother-in-law, Ralph Niccum.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Sunday, April 21, 2024, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 22, 2024, by Rev. Mike Jones, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Interment will follow in the New Liberty Cemetery, East Enterprise, Indiana.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Liberty Cemetery Fund or Keeping Pace Cancer Fund c/o CFSCI. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com
Pallbearers: Paul Covington, Jason Scott, Jamie Green, Jace Clements, Rickey Kelly Jr., Alex Green, Stacey Duvall, Jakob Williams, Michael Scott, Aaron Lafollette
Honorary Pallbearers: Braxton, Koby, Kaydin and Nico