Annie Ruth Kelley

1923 - 2016

Annie Ruth Smith Kelley, 93 years of age, of Albemarle, North Carolina, and more recently of Matthews, North Carolina, left a life she described as "wonderful" on July 26, 2016 and joined her beloved late husband Tom and her late son Tom, III. She leaves behind her five daughters; Anne, Sandy, Catherine, Ellen, and Beth, along with seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Born April 11, 1923, Annie Ruth wore many "hats": wife, mother, grandmother "GG", Blue Devil, Trustee, Booster, Chairwoman - with poise, confidence, and a commanding yet warm presence that was felt by everyone she met. After graduating from Duke University with a BS in Nursing, she became a civic leader in Albemarle and kept her focus on leaving the world better than she found it. Of all her community involvement and recognitions - the Stanly County Democratic Party, the Stanly Hospital Medical Auxiliary, the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation and two awards of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, she was most proud of and devoted to her service to Stanly Community College, where she was the first Chair of the Board of Trustees and the first woman to hold such a position in North Carolina. The Kelley Building at Stanly Community College and the Annie Ruth Kelley Associate Degree in Nursing stand as lasting monuments to her dedication to the profession of nursing and her love of, and dedication to her hometown.

Few people, save the talented and dedicated teachers of the venerable profession of nursing, can share the gratification Annie Ruth felt and expressed when a student of the program hugged her and thanked her. Several of those students were privileged to care for her during her last days.

Annie Ruth, the daughter of the late Ernest Clyde and Eunice Cristobel Hoyle Smith was also predeceased by her husband, Thomas Francis Kelley, Jr. MD in 2005 and her son, Thomas Francis Kelley, III, MD in 2009. She is survived by her brother James Clyde Smith of Southport (Martha); daughters, Anne Harwood (Bill) of Badin, Sandy Johnson (Harry) of Charlotte, Catherine Earp (John) of Southern Pines; Ellen Russell (Shep) of Little Rock, AR; Beth Carpenter (David) of Southern Pines; daughter in law, Kathryn Coughlin Kelley, MD of Charlotte; and her "children of the heart", Martha Morehead of Albemarle, and Jorge Moutous of Junin, Argentina. Annie Ruth loved her seven grandchildren, Anne Kelley Russell (Kurtis Price) of Charleston, SC, Beth Russell Saviers (Marshall) of Fayetteville, AR, Shepherd Russell, MD. (Amanda) of Little Rock, AR, Robert Carpenter (Shannon) of Southern Pines, Will Carpenter (Tiffany) of Seven Lakes, Harry Johnson IV (Kreth) of Raleigh, and Evelyn Kelley of Denver, CO; along with four great grandchildren.

The burial will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 10 AM at Fairview Memorial Park, 1425 E. Main St. followed by a memorial service, at 11:00 AM, at First Presbyterian Church in Albemarle, 126 W. North St. A reception with the family at the church will be held following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either The Stanly Community College Foundation, 141 College Drive, Albemarle, NC 28001, The Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation, 144 N 2nd St, Albemarle, NC 28001 or Stanly Memorial Hospital Foundation, 217 Yadkin Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Kelley family.

Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com.