Rachel "Kelly" King Gilliland

Rachel Lee “Kelly” King Gilliland passed away Aug. 26, 2019 after a long, valiant battle with cancer. She was a long-time resident of Hoover, AL. Kelly is survived by Charles Bruce Gilliland, her husband of 39 years, and their daughter, Laura Lee Gilliland. She is also survived by her uncle Hansford Evans and her aunt Evelyn Evans and cousins Elinor Williams, William Raley, Terry Jack, Michele Jack, Tom Osbeck, James Murphy, Sam Murphy, John Lawshe, James Ware, Alex Evans, David Evans, Bill Evans, Susan Taylor, Judith Barrett, Lynda Antici, Jim Rodgers, Kathy Boussina and Karen Thompson.

“Kelly,” as she was known to her friends and family, was preceded in death by her parents, Howard Lacy King and Mildred Ware King of Tupelo, MS, formerly of Buena Vista, MS.

Kelly was born in Houston, MS and grew up on her family’s dairy farm in the nearby community of Buena Vista, MS where she was an active member of the Buena Vista United Methodist Church. She was active in the Girl Scouts and studied dance and piano in her youth. She graduated from Houston High School in 1966 where she served as co-editor of the student newspaper and a member of the band. While in high school, she sang with a student group, the “Lucky 13.” The group appeared on the Original Ted Mack Amateur Hour in Los Angeles in 1966.

Kelly attended the Mississippi University for Women, graduating with BS and MS degrees in communication disorders in 1970 and 1971. She first worked for the Tennessee Valley Rehabilitation Center in Decatur before joining the Jefferson County school system as a speech pathologist in 1978. She spent 36+ years in clinical and public-school speech therapy with her last 22 years with the Hoover school system at the Green Valley Elementary School. She was the recipient of the Dr. Loretta G. Brown Alabama Public School Speech Pathologist Award in 2009. She was a strong advocate for the benefits of reading to young children to develop their learning abilities.

She loved SEC sports but with a divided family. Bruce is an Auburn graduate while Laura Lee is an Alabama graduate. Kelly grew up as and always was a Mississippi State Bulldog, complete with cowbells!

She was awarded the Molly Pitcher Award by the U.S. Army Field Artillery Association for her service and support of the Field Artillery Team of the 87th Division, US Army Reserve, where Bruce served for more than 20 years.

Kelly was a long-time member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, AL and the Aldersgate Sunday school class. She sang alto in the Sanctuary Choir. She served on the Administrative Board of the church and on the executive board of the United Methodist Women and had served as chairperson of her circle some years ago. She was a member of the Joseph Ministry, assisting the ministers and funeral homes with services at the church. For a time, she was a church volunteer visiting members in hospitals and regularly sending cards and notes to ill and homebound members.

A graveside funeral service will be held at the Houston cemetery in Houston, MS on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 at 11 a.m. A memorial service will be held at Trinity UMC on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 at 11 a.m. A visitation will be held prior to the memorial service from 9:30-11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to Trinity UMC Music Ministry, 1400 Oxmoor Rd. Homewood, AL 35209, or to the Buena Vista UMC, c/o Mrs. Robert Garner, 1089 Highway 47, Houston, MS 38851.