Kelly Sayers Vecchio

Kelly Sayers Vecchio passed away peacefully at the age of 54 on August 25, 2024 with her loving family by her side after a courageous three year battle with colon cancer. Kelly was born on October 8, 1969 to Donald Dean Sayers and Carol Loftin Sayers in Salisbury, NC. She graduated from Salisbury High School in 1988 and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in History in 1992 where she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. Kelly worked 30 years as a paralegal, most recently at the law firm of Lincoln Derr PLLC in Charlotte, NC.

Kelly was an avid Tarheel fan and loved going to campus and games as often as she could. She had many talents and passions. She loved music and was always up for a live performance! She traveled far and wide to hear talented musicians of all kinds of music. She was gifted with a green thumb and kept the most meticulous flower and vegetable garden. It was rare for her to show up anywhere without a bouquet of flowers for those she loved. She was a planner and organizer extraordinaire. She was the most prepared person in all situations. She always arrived equipped with anything you might need in just about any situation. She was super handy and could fix anything! Since her dad’s passing, she loved to spend the day with her mom helping her tackle her honey-do list. Kelly was the most loyal friend and devoted wife, but more than anything else, Kelly was a family girl and loved keeping her family’s traditions alive. She learned how to crochet her grandmother’s ornate snowflake ornaments and made them for all of her family and friends so future generations could enjoy their beauty for Christmases to come. She also mastered her aunt’s famous sugar cookie recipe and One Smart Kookie was born to keep the tradition alive.

During her illness, Kelly had the most positive attitude and found joy in every situation. She never let cancer define her, and we’re all better people from watching her grace and grit. Kelly left her friends and family with the most beautiful gift…the lessons to live a purposeful life. All who encountered Kelly during her illness left with a deeper understanding of our time here and how to live a meaningful life. We’d like to thank Dr. Reza Nazemzadeh and his entire staff at Levine Cancer Institute for their special care for Kelly.

Kelly was preceded in death by her father, Donald Dean Sayers. She leaves behind a husband of 16 years, Robert Vecchio of Charlotte, her mother, Carol Loftin Sayers of Salisbury, NC, a sister, Holly Sayers Brier (Coe) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, two nieces, Elizabeth “Liza” Haddon Hartzog and Margaret “Greta" May Hartzog, both of Raleigh, NC, her aunt and uncle, Dr. William Floyd Sayers (Betty) of Winston-Salem, her aunt, Gayle Loftin Butler of Morganton, NC and many cousins.

The family will hold a private service, but family and friends are invited to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1000 E. Morehead Street Charlotte, NC 28204 on Wednesday, September 4 from 1:00-3:00 pm to honor Kelly’s life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Levine Cancer Institute, 7800 Providence Rd. Suite 208 Charlotte, NC 28226.