Kelly Nanna Taff

Kelly Nanna Taff, of Houston, Texas, quietly departed this life on Wednesday, the 28th of June 2023, in her happy place, Kiawah Island, South Carolina. She was 57 years of age.

Kelly was born on the 23rd of January 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio. She moved to Houston in 1980 and Texas instantly became her forever home. Kelly attended Memorial High School and graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1988, with highest honors. Upon graduating from Baylor, Kelly obtained her CPA license and began her accounting career at Price Waterhouse. She went on to work at Ryan & Company where she established a very successful severance tax practice and immensely enjoyed her time there. Kelly’s job was very important to her, but nothing compared to the vast love she had for her faith, family and friends.

Kelly’s faith was a top priority in her life. She professed her love for God at an early age and had a devoted relationship with the Lord. Kelly was an active member of the church community in Houston, attending every Sunday service with her family. Throughout her life, she attended various churches, including First Baptist Church, Grace Presbyterian Church, and recently joined Second Baptist Church where she was re-baptized on the 24th of April 2022. Kelly was a faithful servant to the Lord and will always be remembered through her church community and her children.

Kelly’s highest treasure and greatest purpose in life was her family. She was married to Michael Spencer Taff on the 19th of May 1990 and to this union four beautiful children were born into their family; Carson Taff (Courtney), Kaylee Taff Rye (Joshua), Madison Taff and Jackson Taff. She deeply cherished her relationship with Michael and her children; she sacrificed every day to support them and care for their needs. Her nurturing soul and caring spirit made it easy to raise her children to be kind, caring, and loving individuals. After her successful career at Ryan & Company, Kelly made the difficult decision to leave her dream job behind to care for her four children fulltime. She enjoyed her new fast-paced lifestyle of raising four kids where carpooling, helping with homework and cheering on her children in the stands was her new normal. She immensely enjoyed being involved in the kids’ activities and loved volunteering to be the “Team Mom” providing snack bags, pre-game meals, and hosting end-of-season parties. Selflessly, she always put her kids’ needs before her own and made sure they were her number one priority. Throughout her life, she always looked forward to having grandchildren and when her first granddaughter, Mckinley Paige Taff, was born in 2022, her new role as “Nanna” became a reality. She loved spoiling her grandbaby every chance she got and was looking forward to being “Nanna” to many more babies down the road.

When Kelly wasn’t wrapped up in her kids’ activities, she enjoyed hosting and throwing events. She loved to have her family and friends all together for special occasions and holiday parties. She especially loved helping plan Kaylee’s special wedding day in Kiawah Island. Kelly also enjoyed a vast number of hobbies in the free time that she did have. Kelly’s hobbies included playing tennis and pickleball, attending her children’s sporting events, walking her dogs (Buddy, Navy, Sonny and Cher), planning upscale events and parties, traveling to Kiawah Island, shopping with her two daughters, gardening, swimming, running, needlepointing, and spending quality time with her family and friends. Kelly was a light to all; her generous spirit and personality was contagious to everyone around her.

Kelly’s friends played a vital role in her life and acted as the backbone for her wellbeing. Her friends were always supportive, caring, and uplifting through both the monumental and mundane moments in her life. Her welcoming spirit and sociable personality made it easy for her to gain quality friendships that truly lasted a lifetime. Kelly’s friendships stood the test of time and distance. She regularly spent time with friends from various eras of her life: MHS, Baylor, Price Waterhouse, Ryan & Co., Greatwood, Wilchester, Rummel Creek, Memorial, Lakeside Country Club and Kiawah Island. Regardless of how long one knew Kelly, she had a way of making you feel special and cared for.

Her beautiful life will forever be cherished by her husband, four children, daughter in-law, son in-law, granddaughter, sisters—Danielle Ellis and Tracy (Marion) Woolie, parents—Jerry and Susan Nanna, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and dogs. Kelly is preceded in death by her parents Janis and Eugene Cernan.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 6th of July, in the parlor and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service and celebration of her life is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 7th of July, at Chapelwood United Methodist Church, 11140 Greenbay Street in Houston, where Senior Pastor John Stephens will officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the nearby fellowship hall.

Prior to the service the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

KINDLY NOTE: In keeping with her request, the family kindly asks that bright colors be worn in her honor at the visitation and memorial service in celebration of her life.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Kelly Taff’s memory be directed to The Todd Krampitz Foundation, an organization dedicated to increasing donor awareness for all. Contributions can be mailed to 241 Asbury Street, Houston, TX 77007.

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