Shirley Kelley, 72, of Wickliffe, Kentucky, passed away at her residence on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Shirley was born on July 20, 1953, to the late Raymond and Gladys Carpenter.
Shirley retired from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) after years of dedicated service. Retirement never slowed her down. She embraced every season of life with enthusiasm, always finding joy in the outdoors. Whether tending to her beautiful flower gardens, spending hours working in the yard, fishing with her beloved husband on the waters of Florida, crafting homemade wine to share with family and friends, or spending time with her loyal companion, Beau, the dog her grandson, Kameron, brought into the family years ago.
As the years passed, her adventurous spirit only grew stronger. Many would have slowed down, but Shirley was just getting started. She celebrated her 67th birthday by parasailing, jet skiing at 68, and marked her 70th birthday by zip-lining. She proved that age was never a limit and inspired those around her to embrace every opportunity life had to offer.
Wherever Shirley went, she built lasting friendships. She had a remarkable gift for turning strangers into friends and friends into family. Her warmth, kindness, and genuine interest in others created lifelong bonds that extended far beyond blood relations. To know Shirley was to become part of her ever-growing family.
Family was the center of Shirley’s world. Though she could be wonderfully stubborn and was known for being strict when needed, every decision she made was rooted in love. She was deeply devoted to her children and grandchildren and was their biggest supporter, rarely missing a game, recital, celebration, or milestone unless circumstances simply made it impossible. Her presence brought encouragement, strength, and unconditional love to those she cherished most.
Shirley was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary at Campground, where she found great joy in serving alongside others and spending time with the many friends she held dear. She loved being surrounded by people, sharing stories, laughter, and creating memories that will be treasured for generations.
Shirley is survived by her husband of 53 years, William “Dubby” Kelley; daughter, Stephanie Jacobsen of Metropolis, Illinois; son, Wesley Kelley of Cunningham, Kentucky; two sisters, Connie Wyrick of Pennsylvania and Denise (Alan) Long of Missouri; four brothers, Floyd Carpenter of Kentucky, Euel (Barbara) Carpenter of Missouri, Jerry (Sharon) Carpenter of Missouri, and Randy Carpenter of Missouri; four grandchildren, Kameron Kelley, Levi Jacobsen, Jasmine Jacobsen, and Abigail Kelley.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Larry Carpenter and Carl Carpenter; her granddaughter, Kinsey Kelley; and her parents.
A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Wickliffe, with Bro. Dan Sikes officiating.
Visitation will take place from 1:00 p.m. until the service time of 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Wickliffe.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of memorial contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929, or online at stjude.org, or to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
Share a memory or leave a message for the family at www.milnerandorr.com.
