Kellie E. Kellett

It was a life cut short — a life of working, but also full of heaven-sent riches, with a family to care for that she adored. A family she centered her life around. A family who knew they were loved.

Kellie was born August 5, 1970, in Bakersfield Calif., and moved at the age of seven to Memphis, the city where she would spend the rest of her life. She grew up with a strong work ethic. When she graduated from Oakhaven High School in 1988, she had already been working for two years. She continued to work all the way through college, paying for her own education at Memphis State University. But Kellie would find more than an education at MSU.

About halfway through college, she was sitting in the front row of an upper level accounting class taking notes, when a handsome student moved from an upper row to the seat next to her. Gary Kellett thought he needed someone to study with, and the cute, young blonde was taking heavy notes. An afternoon study date led to more regular study sessions and then real dates. Kellie and Gary were married in 1995.

Kellie’s early professional years were in the office of Bridge Deck Sales Division of Consolidated Systems, Inc., as invoicing and scheduling coordinator. After she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Human Resource Management at MSU in 1992, Kellie continued working for CSI until 2002, when she joined Diamond Triumph Auto Glass as account sales manager.

In 2005, Kellie left office work behind to become an agency sales representative for Permanent General, where she stayed for almost six years. Then, in 2012, she found her final employment home in insurance, working for Harris, Madden & Powell, Inc., where she worked as the personal lines account manager for the past eight years. Office friends there say she greeted everyone with a smile and would go above and beyond for anyone. One said Kellie was a very hard worker and the most selfless person she knew.

As for her real life's work, Kellie found that in Gary and their three children, Kelsey, Gary III, and Grayson. She was totally devoted to her family. If there was an extracurricular event, she was there. She was a regular in the bleachers with the White Station High School Cheer Boosters for Kelsey, band concerts for Gary III, and Taekwondo for both him and Grayson.

Hers was the soft lap to land on if something was amiss, the ear for hearing whispered secrets, the open arms offered in comfort and praise. One relative described her as calm in the middle of chaos. And she had the best sense of humor. Everyone knew that about Kellie, the one with the dry sense of humor. Family says she didn't have just one funny bone – all her bones were funny. “The girl was hilarious.” And beautiful.

Of course there was more to Kellie than a good sense of humor and that wonderful, contagious smile. She was crazy about lilies, shoes, Almond Joy, Tik Tok, dogs, getting her nails done, going to the beach, Maroon 5 and Adam Levine, grapefruit, The Crown, Arnold Palmers and decorating for Christmas. She loved cooking (green bean bundles and sausage balls for starters), organizing her home, and decorating it. She always loved to do the hard work – or maybe it was just more caring for people – sneaking away from a party to do the dishes, helping with moves and the like. Kellie was a member of Grace - St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Kelsey: “I loved my mom's sense of humor and her allowing me to vent over stupid things. She always turned the bad into a funny. I would describe her as loving and generous, never being able to say no to those she loved.”

Gary III: “I loved how she would always look out for me even if I didn't get it or was mad at her. She always loved me and wanted the best for me.”

Grayson: “I loved her cooking and always tried to learn from her.”

Kellie was preceded in death by her beloved in-laws, Eve and Orville Kellett, Dr. Gary Kellett, and Brian Kellett.

She is survived by her husband, Gary Kellett, Jr; a daughter, Kelsey; and two sons, Gary III and Grayson, all of the home.

She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Lisa Barber (Mike) of Jonesboro; and three sisters-in-law, Sidney McWilliams (Mike) of Ridgeland, Miss., Dr. Jennifer Giles (Gary), of Dallas, and Jennifer Kellett of Memphis; and eight nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Grayson Kellett, Gary Kellett III, Preston McWilliams, Olin Giles, Kellett Giles, Mike McWilliams, Gary Giles, and Mike Barber. The late Brian Kellett is honorary pallbearer.

Due to Covid-19, all in-person services will be reserved for family only. There will be no visitation. The funeral service will be live-streamed at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/memphis-tn/kellie-kellett-9978839. Click “Join Livestream” to join the service.

For lasting memorials, and in lieu of flowers, a GoFundMe account has been established for the care and support of Kelsey, Gary and Grayson: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-honor-of-kellie-kellett