Betty Jane Kelly

No services will be held for BETTY JANE KELLY, 100, of Torrington, WY, who passed away peacefully in her sleep at 4:35 a.m. on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at the Goshen Healthcare Community. Betty was born Betty Jane Vance on February 27, 1924, to Cecil Bradley and Carrie Diana Vance on the Vance Homestead in Hawk Springs, WY, which was known as the Hagie Post Office at the time. She was the second of eleven children, with six girls and five boys. Of the girls, Betty was the one who often helped her father in the fields while the others stayed home with their mother. Betty attended school in Hawk Springs alongside her siblings and graduated with the class of 1942. On March 7, 1943, she married Harley Vern Kelly at the Vance family home. The couple lived in a small house on the Kelly farm near Veteran, WY. Betty gave birth to their first son, Clark Vern Kelly, on February 19, 1944, in Torrington, WY. Their second son, Floyd Bradley Kelly, was born on October 19, 1957, in Scottsbluff, NE. Throughout her life, Betty worked in various roles, including many years at a local café and later with the Yoder School District. She juggled multiple responsibilities, including working in the school cafeteria, serving as a school janitor, and driving the school bus. Betty enjoyed collecting recipes, solving puzzles, crocheting, embroidering, and quilting. In her lifetime, Betty made one trip abroad with Harley to the Philippines, where they visited their son Floyd during his Air Force service. The couple also enjoyed spending their free time participating in CB radio conventions, where they were known by their handles, "Bobcat" and "Bobkitten." They loved fishing at various lakes across Wyoming and playing cards with friends. Harley passed away on April 6, 1991, following a heart attack during one of their fishing trips. After Harley's passing and her mother's death in 1998, Betty moved into the Golden Manor in Torrington, WY. During her time there, she cherished the companionship of fellow residents, particularly during Wednesday and Friday morning coffees, monthly potlucks, and card games. Even as she aged, Betty remained active, helping others get to appointments while she could still drive. She was an avid reader and enjoyed crossword puzzles. Betty often made road trips across Wyoming to visit her sons in Jackson, WY, and she always kept a sleeper loveseat and a folding bed ready for family visits in her cozy one-bedroom apartment at Golden Manor. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Carrie; her husband, Harley; her sons, Clark and Floyd; her sisters, Opal, Merry, Josephine, and Leona; and her brothers, Cecil and Bill. She is survived by her grandchildren (Clark's children), Teresa Sue Kelly and Cody Clark Kelly, and their mother, Susan Renee Hathaway; her great-grandchildren, Alec Wilson Meacham and Cyleigh Jean Kelly; her sister, Corrine; her brothers, Allen, Dwight, and Victor; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. Her ashes will be laid to rest beside her husband, Harley, in the Kelly family plot at Valley View Cemetery in Torrington, WY. The family held private memorials, and no public services are planned.

Betty Jane Kelly

February 27, 1924 - August 11, 2024