Joanna Durden Kelley

She was a member of First Baptist Church of Mount Dora, FL.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she graduated from Shades Valley High School, class of 1956. She attended college at Montevallo College, Samford University and finished her education at Mississippi University for Women.

She had a passion for Missions and served for 2 years in China under the direction of the International Missions Board. She made 9 Mission trips to Asia where she directed child care while other missionaries held their annual conference. Her late husband’s employment and their Mission work took her to Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Alaska, China, and Tennessee. Her last move was to Florida to be near family as she aged.

She loved the outdoors and liked to camp, water ski, and downhill snow ski. Her hobbies included cross stitching and reading. She served 3 churches where she reactivated and organized the libraries as a volunteer librarian. She established a new library at the assisted living facility in Lenoir City, TN, where she lived before moving to Mount Dora, FL.

Preceded in death by her parents, brother, daughter-in-law Phyllis Admire Kelley and her beloved husband Paul, of 59 years. Survived by her two sons, Joseph Kelley of Mount Dora, FL and James Kelley of Memphis, TN.

Family would like to express their thanks to Alto Senior Living in Tavares, FL for being a very nice assisted living facility to age gracefully in.

Family would like to especially recognize Sabrina Campbell, owner of Guiding Hands Home Health Care, and her amazing staff of caregivers that were with Joanna 24/7 during her last days.

The graveside service is planned at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Birmingham, AL on Saturday, December 28th at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief, online at tndisasterrelief.org, or by mail, and on the memo line of the check please note “In Memory of Joanna Kelley”

The address is:

Tennessee Baptist Convention

Bank Lockbox Service

PO Box 306339

Nashville, TN 37230-6339