DONNA HELEN KELLY's Obituary
On August 5, 2024, Donna Kelly passed away surrounded by her loving family. She leaves her two daughters, Beth and Colleen, and three grandchildren, Bel, Bea and Cate. She joins her husband of 61 years, Jim; her son-in-law, Bill; her mother, brother and sister, Marion, Jack and Marjorie, in heaven.
Donna can be defined by her love of family, a giving spirit, and a tenacious enthusiasm for life. She was everyone's best friend and would do anything for them. Her service to others can be seen in her decades-long nursing career. Donna graduated from Shadyside Nursing School in Pittsburgh, PA, serving in a variety of nursing roles while traveling alongside Jim in the Navy. She ultimately found her calling as a School Nurse at Broad Run High School, where she was belovedly known as "Nursie." In this role she was a trusted confidant to students and colleagues alike. Her ability to provide deep comfort and reassurance, while simultaneously telling the no-nonsense truth, helped many through the challenges of the teenage years. Her legacy in the community was tremendous: people would often stop her, many years after graduation, and say 'hi Nursie, remember me?'
She retired as Nursie in 1996 to take on her new position as Nana, the one which she loved most of all. She gave her three granddaughters the best childhood they could ask for, and was an integral part of their lives. She was one of a kind and her soul lives on through the many people she touched. We will miss her every day.
A memorial service will be held at 4:30pm on August 9, 2024 at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, Leesburg Virginia. She will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery alongside her husband, Jim, at a later date.
If you would like to support a nursing program in lieu of sending flowers, please consider a donation to the Lights of Love Foundation, a scholarship for aspiring nurses in Loudoun County, VA. This link will take you to the donation page: https://ladiesboard.org/lights-of-love-donation/
If you prefer to send something, please consider a live plant.
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