Thelma B. Kelley

VIENNA - Thelma Brohawn Kelley, 88, passed away at the Dorchester General Hospital in Cambridge on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006.

She was born at Griffith's Neck on March 9, 1918, and was a daughter of the late Riley Willey and the late Elsie Willey Hitch.

She was raised in Dorchester County and graduated from Vienna High School in 1935. On Dec. 24, 1937, she was married to Robert R. Brohawn Jr. They were engaged in farming until 1959 when they moved to Cambridge.

She worked at Airpax for five years and later for C.S.I. for 15 years retiring in 1978, to care for her husband who passed away on Oct. 29, 1981.

On Dec. 8, 1998, she was married to Randall F. Kelley, and they made their home at Vienna. Mr. Kelley passed away on June 11, 2000, but she still maintained her residence in Vienna.

Miss Thelma joined the Drawbridge United Methodist Church at the age of 3. When that church closed she moved her membership to Friendship United Methodist Church at Aireys in the 1940s. She had held a number of offices in the church and she had also taught Sunday School for almost 50 years.

After she and Mr. Kelley were married she divided her time between Friendship Church and Vienna United Methodist Church, and had been a member of the United Methodist Women of both churches.

She had been in failing health for several months, and had been a patient at Dorchester General Hospital for one week.

Survivors include two sons, R. Wayne Brohawn and his wife, Yvonne Brohawn of Linkwood, D. Raye Brohawn Sr. and his wife, Carol Brohawn of Cambridge; five grandchildren, Robbie Brohawn, and his girlfriend, Toni, Roxanne Snelling and her husband, Bob Snelling, Gale Mitchell, Donna Buckley and her boyfriend, Andy and Darrell R. Brohawn Jr. and his wife, Patti Brohawn; seven great-grandchildren, Jennifer Snelling, Jessica George, Joni Cook, Brandon Christopher, Bridget Brohawn, Victoria Brohawn, Darryl Ray Brohawn III; two great-great-grandchildren, Kaila George and Destinee Seal; one brother, Woodrow Willey of Dagsboro, Del. and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by one sister, Lucy W. Hurley and two brothers, Emerson Willey and Vernon Willey.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at the Thomas Funeral Home in Cambridge with the Rev. Karen Booth and the Rev. Mary Ann Farnell officiating. Burial will follow at Dorchester Memorial Park. The family will receive friends during the hour preceding the service on Wednesday.

Memorial contributions may be made to Friendship United Methodist Church, c/o Anne Justis, 104 Holly Lane, Cambridge, MD 21613 or to the Vienna United Methodist Church, c/o Carol Johnson, 3960 Elliott Island Road, Vienna, MD 21869.

Active pallbearers will be Mike Hubbard, Dick Boyce, Larry Fisher, Art Wilkerson, Keifford Jackson and Hollie Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Murphy, George Nabb III, Steve Hurst, Bob McClain and Russell Justis.