Anna Mae Kelly Obit

Hidalgo Co Cemeteries of Tx

Submitted by Frances Isbell

[McAllen Monitor, Monday, 18 October, 2B]

PHARR -Anna Mae Kelly, 94, died Friday, Oct. 14, 2004 at Life Care Hospital in Edinburg. She was born on Aug. 16 1910, in Fairview Township, Dallas County, Ark., and came to Pharr in 1925 with her family. 

She was the daughter-in-Iaw of one of the founders of Pharr and recipient of the Pharr Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award, Oct. 7, 2004. She ran for the Texas House of Representatives in 1954 and was first Texas woman to serve as a presidential elector, and was twice a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in Los Angeles in 1960, and in Atlantic City in 1964. She also attended the Kennedy-Johnson presidential inauguration. 

Mrs. Kelly was pioneer and co-founder of the Oratory Academy; Oratory Athenaeum; Newman Institute of the Oratory-Reynosa and president of the American Poinsettia Society; Hidalgo County Historical Society; Pharr Garden Club; Pharr Junior Service League; Rio Grande Valley Capt. Thomas Jefferson Chapter of National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century; Texas Society Colonial Qames XVII Century Valley Council of Garden Clubs. 

She was also Regent of John Minnis Chapter (Edinburg) of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Director of Alamo-San Juan-Pharr Pan American Round Table; Pharr Chamber of Commerce; Texas Pan American Round Table. She was also a member of the Secular Oratory of St. Phillip Neri; Yiidalgo County Historical Commission; Pharr Progress Club; Pharr American Legion Auxiliary; McAllen Opera Guild; Magna Charta Dames and madrina to Father Jose and Father Mario for their ordination. 

She has one surviving sister, Josephine Hale of Angleton Texas; surviving nieces, Nina Estes of McAllen, Debbie Brooks of McAllen, Barbara Williams of Houston and Janet Cavenaugh of Houston; surviving nephews, Leon Estes, III of San Antonio and Bobby Evans of McAllen; she is also survived by 12 great- nieces and nephews and one great-great niece. 

She was preceded in death by husband, J. Connally Kelly; father, Robert Allen Evans; mother, Nina Ball Evans; sister Betty Van Liew; brothers, James Evans, Sewell Evans, Robert Evans and Billy Evans. 

A visitation for Mrs. Kelly will be from 5 to 7 p.m., with a rosary being recited at 7 p.m. today, Oct. 18, 2004 at Kreidler Funeral Home on N. 10 th St. in McAllen. 

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19 2004 at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Pharr. 

Burial will follow at the Kelly Family Cemetery, Pallbearers will be Newt Dyer, Raul Fong, Peter Briones, George Gause, Dr. Alejo Salinas and William Forrester Memorial contributions may be made to the, Oratory of St. Phillip Neri, P.O. Box 1698, Pharr, TX 78577. Kreidler Funeral Home of McAllen is in charge of arrangements. ---