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Barbara Kelly Obituary
August 10, 1943 - March 26, 2024
She died peacefully from a rare combination of the flu and pneumonia that her COPD could not overcome on the couple's 30th anniversary annual visit to Palm Desert, CA. Survived by husband Jerry, son Jason, sister Dorothy Economides Grieb and brother-in-law Robert Grieb; cousins, Jeffrey and John Grieb, Anne Kelly, Mark, George, and Leon Simmonds. Barbara grew up in Endicott, NY where she was a head cheerleader and champion debater at Union Endicott High School. She attended Syracuse University where she met her future husband Jerry Kelly and graduated with a BS in Applied Arts. They were married on July 2, 1966, in Endicott and moved to Philadelphia where Barbara found work as a social worker for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, as a substitute teacher in South Philadelphia, and in the handbag department of John Wanamaker's. In 1969 the couple moved to Rochester, NY where son Jason was born in 1970 and Barbara worked in an art gallery and taught senior citizen sewing classes. In April of 1971 the couple moved to Buffalo where they have lived for the last 53 years. Always loving a performance, Barbara became a performing middle eastern dancer in restaurants and private parties, and a tour guide with Buffalo Guide Service eventually buying the company and running tours for some 20 years. Buffalo Guide Service offered bus tours of the Buffalo area, Niagara Falls, Kitchner/Waterloo and Toronto in Canada, and sites in the Finger Lakes and upstate New York. Some outbound tours went as far as Montreal, Quebec City and Stratford, Ontario. Barbara was also active in the Greek Orthodox Church where she was president of the senior citizens club and for 15 years enjoyed running Yiayia's Attic, the flea market at the annual Greek Festival. On Halloween night 2017 Barbara suffered a stroke that partially paralyzed her left side and caused COPD. In January 2018 the couple moved to the new retirement residence Canterbury Woods, Gates Circle where she has lived comfortably with her husband and nurses for the last 6 and a half years of her life. She continued her lifelong love of cats and Margot and Mr. Orange resided with her. Funeral Services are scheduled for 11:00am, Saturday, April 13th at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 724 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo. A luncheon for all will follow at the Saturn Club, 977 Delaware Avenue.
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Memories and Condolences
for Barbara Kelly
6 Entries
Mary Hughes
April 11, 2024
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. I was so sorry to hear about this from the Forest Lawn staff. I remember what a vibrant and pleasant member of the tour she was that Sunday afternoon at FL
George
April 8, 2024
Saddened to hear the news. Barb was a wonderful and giving person. We send our prayers and sympathy to Jerry and the family.
George & Georgette Hasiotis
Tim Laskaris
April 3, 2024
Jerry, Jason, Dorothy and family. I was heartbroken when I read of Barbara's passing. My deepest sympathy to all of you. Growing up in Endicott my brother Nick , God rest his soul ,knew Barbara from church. All us Greeks were somehow related. We all knew Barbara and Dorothy were the cutest girls in church and they were also the kindest. Fast forward decades later and I was reunited with Barbara in Buffalo and got to meet Jerry and Jason. I had the honor of tending to her gardens for many years and enjoyed sitting on the back patio reminiscing about the old days. She got me interested in attending church again and my kids were always excited to see her at the Greek festival every May. I just want to let you all know how much she meant to me. God bless you all.
Celeste Lawson
April 2, 2024
My deep and sincere condolences go out to Jerry, Jason, and all of Barbara's family. Barbara was a friend who was generous with her time and talent. She was instrumental in helping me to grow as an artist and performer that ultimately resulted in my ability to apply for and receive grants for projects as an individual artist. Over the years, Barbara was helpful and supportive in my work as an advocate for the cultural arts and the impact of art, culture, and tourism on the region's broader economy. She was quiet, intelligent, talented, fun to spend time with, and a good friend. I am grateful that she was a part of my life and her influence remains with me to this day, and I'm sure always will. To Barbara, peace and blessings, love and light.
Ed Murphy
April 1, 2024
Birth gives us two certainties, life and death. What we do in between is all that matters in the end. Barbara did good in between: as a mother, a wife, a friend, and as a citizen of Buffalo.
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