Claire Kelley

Claire Yvonne (Thiles) Kelley was born July 16, 1925, on a farm near Panama, Iowa to Edward and Cecil (Kohl) Thiles. She graduated from Woodbine Normal School in 1942. It was at this point that her interest in sewing and teaching school evolved, both skills that she enjoyed in her life. After graduation Claire taught school at Douglas Center Country School in Harrison County. On January 15, 1945, Claire married Thomas (Earl) Kelley at the Methodist Parsonage in Woodbine. Within days Earl received his draft notice, so their life together was placed on hold until Earl returned home from Japan. After the war they lived on the original Kelley farmstead for 46 years. Claire was busy with the usual duties relegated to a farm wife: cooking, gardening, canning, and sewing in her spare time. She enjoyed the beauty of the land and carried a love and appreciation of nature with her all through her life. She captured many of her favorite views with a camera lens.

An active member of the Woodbine Methodist Church, Claire taught Sunday school for many years and held several positions in the Women's Society. She treasured the work and social time as a member of the Woodbine Women's Legion Auxiliary. She worked for over twenty years as an employee of Spurgeon's Department Store in Harlan, Iowa where she made many friends.

Claire died at the Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine on September 8, 2011, at the age of 86 years, one month and 23 days.

Claire was preceded in death by her sisters, Darlene Kelley and Edna Kelley and her brothers, Bill and Darrell Thiles. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Earl Kelley of Woodbine, four daughters, Letty (Fred) Lindberg of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lucille (Phil) Hull of Waco, Texas, Carolyn (Jim) Juergens of Omaha, Nebraska, and Dianne (Denny) Book of Walnut, Iowa; ten grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; three sisters, Betty Montemuro of Long Beach, California, Ada Mesenbrink of De Borgia, Montana, Donna Archer of Woodbine, Iowa; sister-in-law Verva Thiles of Woodbine, and many other relatives and friends.