Carolyne Lanxon KELLEY

KELLEY Carolyne Lanxon Carolyne Lanxon Kelley, a former Toledo resident, passed away peacefully in her Florida home on January 18, 2012, following a long illness. She was born on July 8, 1927, in Newburgh, NY, to Catherine and Arthur Ford, and lived in that area until her marriage to Harold Kelley, the love of her life for 65 years. They had met at West Point in 1945 when she attended a dance as a blind date. Carolyne was particularly proud of the roles her ancestors played in the beginnings of our nation. She was born in one of the historical homes of her mother's family, the Ellisons, who were early and prominent settlers of New Windsor, NY, operating a prosperous shipping business. Their two homesteads were used by George Washington and Henry Knox when each made their headquarters on Ellison farms during the terrible winter the Colonial troops spent in the New Windsor Cantonment. The family supplied critical help with food and firewood. Carolyne was baptized in St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New Windsor and married in St. George's Episcopal Church in Newburgh, both churches established and endowed by her ancestor, Thomas Ellison. Another prominent patriot ancestor, Jacob Morton, was selected by Washington as the Marshal for his 1789 New York inauguration. His father, John Morton, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and known by the British as the "Rebel Banker". Yet another ancestor, Charles McKnight, the first Surgeon General of Washington's Colonial Army, was the source of Carolyne's approval for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Carolyne was a lifelong musician, studying voice from an early age, attending Julliard School of Music in New York, and continuing to perform up to the last year of her life. Among hundreds of musical performances, she sang the lead role in Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore when her husband was stationed at Los Alamos, NM. She always liked to remember that other cast members in that production also included atomic scientists! Later, in Toledo, she was the soprano soloist in The Messiah with The Toledo Symphony. She sang in choirs and chorales wherever she lived, including New York, New Mexico, Arkansas, Ohio and Florida. As director of the Briny Breezes, FL, Chorale, she produced annual spectacular musical productions for many years. She also gave private vocal lessons to dozens of students throughout her career and experienced a proud moment watching one of her students perform at Carnegie Hall. As a long time member of Monday Musicale in Toledo, she served as president and performed regularly. She was also the soprano soloist in Toledo's First Unitarian Church Choir for 37 years. Carolyne was deeply dedicated to sharing her love of the arts with children in the community. Through her longtime membership in the Toledo Symphony League, she helped organize and design the Young People's Concerts that introduced thousands of area school children to classical music. She was also a music docent at the Toledo Museum of Art, sharing her musical expertise with the many school groups viewing the exhibits. Sharing a longtime interest in reading and education, Carolyne and Harold endowed two reading and study rooms at the main branch of The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library in their names and their children's. A love of traveling with her beloved husband took them across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, and only a few years ago, she and Harold were zip lining in Costa Rica! When home, they seldom missed a week of round and square dancing, along with bridge games with friends. They also participated in Model A club trips and activities along with enjoying another shared hobby of researching family genealogy. Carolyne is survived by her husband and three children; Kathleen Putnam (Lou), Keith (Shahla Emadi) and Kristen Scheibert-Mizell (Chess); grandchildren, Andrea Kelley Pogany (Andy), Brendan Putnam, Erin Kelley May (Nate), Kelley Putnam Necioglu (Ali Kemal), Stephen Kelley, Kevin Scheibert, Katherine Scheibert and Kayla Mizell; three step-grandchildren, Nazanin Farchtchi, Nazgol Farchtchi Fearnow (Kevin), Chess Mizell, and one great-grandchild, Hannah Carolyne Pogany; step-great-grandchildren, Kamram and Kayvan Fearnow. She was preceded in death by her sister, Harriet Ellison Ford in 1980. Since leaving Toledo, Maumee and Perrysburg, Carolyne and Harold have resided in Old Oak Trails in Sanford, MI and Briny Breezes in Boynton Beach, FL. Services will be held in Florida on January 22 and a memorial service will follow at a date to be set for friends and family in Toledo, OH. The Family requested memorial donations be sent to the First Unitarian Church of Toledo, 3205 Glendale Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614 or to Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation, 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407.