Here is one of my favorite pictures of Kate and my dad Irvin from 1946 married one year!
In Loving Memory
Catherine
(Kate) Jean Kelly
July 24, 1920 – June 20, 2017
Born in Chicago, Kate grew up in the suburb of
Evanston on Davis Street and attended Evanston High school. She was the youngest of two daughters born to
Agnes and Roy Stockbridge. After a few semesters at college Kate left Evanston
for employment at Consolidated Vultee (to become General Dynamics) in San Diego
to build war planes. A true “Rosie the Riveter”, she earned her Class A
mechanics rating working on the B24J Liberator and later many experimental
planes like the PBY.
San Diego was to become her home when she married
Irvin R. Kelly the kind sailor who offered to share a taxi on a rare rainy day.
Their December 1, 1945 wedding was to become the birth date of their oldest son
born on their 4th anniversary.
Kate invested her life in a constant commitment to
others. After her service in the war effort she would become a devoted mother, neighborhood
coffee time and bridge club hostess, volunteer backyard water safety swim
instructor, PTA president, Clairemont High School band booster, seasonal
Registrar of Voters worker, and at passing, the senior member of her beloved
Neptunes swim club of 40 years. To know Kate was to experience a cavalcade of
wonderful people who were the central thread of her love.
Widowed in March of 2004, Kate continued to reside on
Hidalgo Avenue in the Clairemont area of San Diego where she and Irvin raised
their surviving sons: Warren D. Kelly and Kenneth J. Kelly MD. Kate’s extended
family includes two granddaughters, two grandsons, four great grandsons, and
two great granddaughters.
Kate’s memorial service will be July 13, 2017 at Fort
Rosecrans National Cemetery, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106
at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to attend
and arrival at 9:00 am is suggested for parking and prompt military schedule.
Following the Memorial Service all are invited to a
Kate style beach picnic at La Jolla shores near the Life Guard tower from 12:00
noon to 2pm. Look for the blue Charger canopy and BYOBC - bring your own beach
chair. Sandwiches and beverages provided.
Please bring your favorite memory of Kate to share.
Kate’s ashes will be interred with her husband Irvin
at plot CBBB, Row 1, Site 196 should you care to visit them at a later date to
reflect on the beautiful view and these beautiful souls.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh
me to lie down in green pastures; He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I
will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen. – from 23rd
Psalm.
