Diane Daigle Kelly

Diane Daigle Kelly peacefully went home on February 17, 2023. She was born August 11, 1937 at Hotel Dieu in Beaumont, Texas, to Earl Clifton Daigle and Hazel Irene “Lovie” Mabry Daigle. Diane graduated from Beaumont High School in 1955. She attended Lamar University in Beaumont where she was an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member and graduated with a Bachelors degree in Music.

Diane married Cal Hugh Kelly in December, 1958, and she faithfully followed him across East Texas as a Methodist minister’s wife, serving in charges including Crossroads, Union Ridge, Pine Hill, Teneha, New Diana, Orange, East Houston and China. During this time they welcome two daughters - Kristina and Elaine. Diane was an accomplished violinist and pianist, teaching piano lessons and serving as pianist and organist at several of Cal’s ministerial appointments.

Cal and Diane settled in Daisetta, Texas, in 1975 and Diane returned to Lamar University Beaumont to obtain her teaching certificate. A chance meeting over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at Lamar University with Dr. Nylds Hinch sealed her fate as a Liberty Independent School District teacher. She taught Kindergarten for 24 years at LISD’s San Jacinto Elementary - both at the “school on the hill” and San Jac’s current location.

Hundreds of students flowed through her classroom - they fondly remember her generous book library, her jar of M&Ms, her ukulele, the Letter People, the loft, the Kindergarten Rodeo at Rockin’ K ranch, Stone Soup, and Chicken Soup with Rice. Her time as a teacher led to a lifetime of friendship with the Hinch and Pare families, and she also held many in the Liberty, Devers and Hull-Daisetta communities close to her heart.

A true Cajun and ever thrifty, Diane loved to cook and could be counted on for copious amounts of chicken spaghetti or potato salad, and she would ‘bring the mayonnaise’ to any event where she feared Miracle Whip would be served. Diane always made sure Christmas was a big event that was celebrated with friends and family, complete with her seafood casserole, creamed eggs on toast, oyster and rice dressing, oyster stew, and fudge pie. She served a mean gumbo and sticky chicken, and many birthdays and beach trips were blessed with her fudge sheet cake.

After Diane retired from teaching, she and Cal lived in Fredericksburg and Houston. Diane moved to Cedar Park, Texas in 2008 after Cal’s passing to be closer to her daughters.

Diane is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Cal Hugh Kelly, her brother Earl Allen Daigle, and her daughter Kristina Kelly Waldrop.

She is survived by her daughter Elaine Kelly Veselka, granddaughters Lauren Elaine Waldrop Yong, Lizabeth Anne Waldrop Wells, and Hayli Salinas, great-grandson Callum Wells, and caregiver and honorary family member Cecilia Viveros Carrillo. A special thank you to the staff at Legacy at Crystal Falls in Leander and Magnolia Hospice for their loving and attentive service these past few difficult months, to Melissa Benson and family for their friendship and loving guardianship of Peggy Sue, and to “Aunt” Marilyn Vordenbaum for her ever-present help and blessings from afar over the years.

Inurnment services will be held at 10:30 am March 6, 2023, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas, with Reverend Jon Stouffer officiating. A gathering of family and friends will follow at the First Methodist Church of Hull-Daisetta fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial to any of the following: Alzheimer’s Association of Texas, MD Anderson Houston, Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center at Methodist Hospital Houston, Texas Humane Heroes in Leander, Texas, or Liberty ISD Education Foundation in Liberty, Texas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishleander.com for the Kelly family.