Joan Flucke Kelly

Joan was born as “Alice Joan Flucke” in Detroit, MI. Her family lived in the Detroit suburbs of Farmington Hills with her older sisters, Mary Ellen and Barbara “Babs”; her illustrator father, Harold, and her homemaker mother, Francis.

Joan received her Bachelor or Arts Degree from Ohio Wesleyan University where she met her future husband Bill. They married in 1952 while Bill was earning his Medical Doctorate at the University of Cincinnati. Their first son, Tim, was born in 1954 as Bill finished his degree. The family then moved to Chicago for Bill’s internship and then to Salt Lake City for his subsequent residency. Following, Bill and Joan then relocated to Bellevue, WA in 1958 where Bill had accepted an Assistant Professorship of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington Medical School. From the Lake Hills neighborhood of Bellevue they then moved to Lake Forest Park on the north end of Lake Washington.

Joan was an active leader in the small community of Lake Forest Park in north Seattle. She volunteered her time and artistic talents at numerous school events and church activities where she participated as a Deacon and then Elder of LFP Presbyterian Church.

Joan was devoted to her family and was a creative cook. She spent innumerable hours planning and preparing meals to the health benefits of her otherwise vegetable rebellious husband. She devoted much of her time getting her children to athletic practices, games, art classes and music lessons.

Golf and Inglewood Country Club was a passion she enjoyed with her husband and many longtime friends. Again, she offered her abilities and leadership to the Club’s Women’s Division where she diligently rose to the rank of city-wide Women’s Captain in 1986.

Finally, her constant pursuit in life was art. From painting to pottery, needlework to knitting, she was always seeing new ways to express her artistry. She showed numerous paintings in juried art shows. Her most noted art, however, was her remarkable knitting. Always custom designed, her family and friends treasured receiving one of “Joan’s sweaters”. She also donated many of her knitted art pieces to fund-raising auctions.

Joan was married to William (Bill) A. Kelly, MD for 61 years. She is survived by her sisters Mary Ellen Hovey and Barbara Fannin, her husband Bill, her two sons; Tim and Craig, five grandchildren, many loving extended family and friends.

A beautiful woman, Joan, was proud and willful-yet kind and giving. Her memory will forever be cherished by the many lives she touched.