Joanne Kelley, beloved mother of four, passed away of natural causes on October 11, 2016, at her home in Bowling Green, KY. She was 73 years old.

Joanne was born on June 26, 1943 in Almont, MI. She was the 6th of 8 children, and the 4th daughter, of John and Stella Sefcovic. Raised on the family farm in Imlay City, MI, Joanne enjoyed an active and eventful childhood. She enjoyed snowball fights with her brothers and sisters, building tunnels in the hayloft, skating on the farm ponds and having the run of the countryside around the farm.

A quick study in school, Joanne started kindergarten in a one-room school house down the road and graduated from Imlay City High School. After a brief stint packing pickles for Vlasic, she joined the US Army on April 25, 1962 at Ft. McClellan, AL and went on to become a Meteorological Observation Specialist.

Joanne married Randall H Kelley, Sr., of the US Army Military Police Corps on October 10, 1964 at Ft. Monmouth, NJ and left the Army on November 17, 1964. As an Army wife Joanne moved every few years, living in Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and Michigan, as well as the cities of Bremerhaven and Frankfurt in Germany. Along the way she raised her four children, all of whom graduated from Vidalia High School in Vidalia, GA after her husband retired from the Army.

It was in Vidalia that Joanne began her career as a nurse. She earned her AS in Nursing from Middle Georgia College in June 1989. She started as a floor nurse at Meadows Memorial Hospital in Vidalia and went on to specialize in home health nursing with Lifeline Home Care in Bowling Green, KY, where she retired in 2007.

After retirement Joanne enjoyed traveling, especially by cruise ship, visiting Alaska, China and several places in Europe and the Mediterranean. She also enjoyed visiting with her children and grandchildren across the continental US.

Joanne was preceded in passing by her ex-husband Randall Sr., brother Jerome and sisters Lilly and Esther. She is survived by her son Murray of Albuquerque, NM, daughter Patricia of Big Rapids, MI, son Randall, Jr., of Bowling Green, KY, daughter Sonja of Baltimore, MD and grandchildren: Brittany, Cash, Micah, Jack and Emma. She also leaves behind brothers Ed, Richard and John and sister Florence.

Joanne's viewing will be held at Johnson-Vaughn-Phelps Funeral Home in Bowling Green, KY on Friday, October 14, 4:00-8:00pm, with a Catholic prayer service beginning at 6:00pm. She will be laid to rest in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Bowling Green on Saturday, October 15, 2016 after an 11:00am funeral mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the St. Joseph Catholic Church Restoration Fund, however memorials many be sent to the cemetery or the funeral home and personal condolences may be forwarded to the family via Johnson-Vaughn-Phelps Funeral Home.