Erla Browne Kelley, 99, of Boothbay Harbor, died Dec. 25 at St. Andrews Village. She was born Nov. 7, 1914 in Bowdoinham to Erle and Hazel Cornish Browne. She grew up on Browne’s Point in Bowdoinham.
Erla graduated from Coombs High School in the class of 1932 and Gorham Normal School in the class of 1934.
She started teaching in Mars Hill and then moved back to Bowdoinham to teach in a one-room schoolhouse. She married Ransom P. Kelley, and retired from teaching to become a homemaker, raising her family.
Family was very important to Erla, and she always enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She and her husband moved to Southport in 1955 where she was very active in the community. She volunteered over 50,000 hours with the St. Andrews Hospital Auxiliary, worked in the Auxiliary coffee shop and was one of the original founders of the St. Andrews Thrift Shop.
She was also a member of the Boothbay Garden Club, Southport United Methodist Church, and a lifetime member of the Wiscasset Yacht Club.
She was the best baker and loved making apple pie, blueberry muffins, strawberry rhubarb pies, and carrot cakes for all of the local bake sales.
Erla was predeceased by her husband, Ransom P. Kelley who died in 1990 and son, Erle R. Kelley, who died in 1978.
She is survived by son, Alan Kelley and wife Beth of West Gardiner; grandchildren, Erland S. Kelley and wife Liz of Falls Church, Va., Elizabeth Kelley and husband John Miller of Boulder, Col., and Katherine Winglass and husband Andrew of Bath; great-grandchildren, Sarah, Mae and Ethan Winglass, all of Bath, and Clara and Ronan Miller of Boulder, Col.; and daughter-in-law, Sally Chater Kelley of Bath.
Friends are invited to visit with the family from 3-5 p.m., Sun., Dec. 29 at the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Rd. in Boothbay. A service to celebrate Erla’s life will be held 1 p.m., Mon., Dec. 30 at the Southport United Methodist Church with Pastor Ami Sawtelle officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Bayview Cemetery in Bowdoinham.
Contributions in Erla’s memory may be made to the Southport United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 143, Southport, ME 04576.
You are invited to share your condolences by visiting the families Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay.
