Maureen P. Kelley
Retired Tewksbury Teacher & Librarian
TEWKSBURY: Maureen P. (Donovan) Kelley, age 81, a resident of Tewksbury for over 50 years, formerly of Bradford, passed away at Lowell General Hospital on Monday, July 3, 2023.
She was the beloved wife of former Tewksbury selectman and chief assessor John (Jay) Kelley, Jr. with whom she would have celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on August 22, 2023.
Born in Haverhill on May 1, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Francis M. Donovan and the late Mary V. (Powers) Donovan.
Maureen was raised in Bradford, MA. She attended the Sacred Hearts parochial grammar school and graduated from the former St. James High School in 1960. Following high school, she received her B.A. Degree from Merrimack College in 1964, and her M.A. Ed. Degree from Salem State College in 1996.
Maureen served for 13 years as a trustee for the Tewksbury Public Library and was a member of the Tewksbury Library Building Committee. In addition, she was past chairperson of the Tewksbury Historical Commission, past secretary of the Bay State Historical League, and a former member and former executive member of the Board of the State Association of School Librarians.
She was a longtime communicant and former C.C.D. teacher of St. William’s Church in Tewksbury.
Maureen enjoyed reading, oil painting and had a passion for traveling.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, Michael P. Kelley and his wife Julie, Tewksbury Police Sergeant, Joseph C. Kelley and his wife Anne, all of Tewksbury, and Kevin D. Kelley and his partner Sarah Harrington of Chelmsford; grandchildren, Samantha Buckley and her husband Jay of Townsend, Caitlin Marshall and her husband Greg of Chelmsford, John, Sean, and Kathryn Kelley, all of Tewksbury and Olivia Harrington of Chelmsford; great-grandchildren, Grace and Grant Buckley of Townsend and Linnea Marshall of Chelmsford.
She is survived by sisters, Nancy Halloran and her husband John of Plaistow NH, Diane Ryan of Georgetown and brothers, Dan Donovan and his wife Alice of Bradford and William Donovan of Bradford. She is predeceased by sisters, Elaine V. Marsella of Chelmsford and Patricia McPherson of Calais, ME and brother-in-laws, Richard Ryan of Plaistow, NH, Ronald Marsella of Chelmsford and Michael MacPherson of Calais, ME. Maureen leaves many nieces, nephews and extended family members and friends who she dearly loved.
Calling hours are Tuesday, July 11th, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee Street, Tewksbury. Her funeral procession will begin on Wednesday, July 12th at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at St. William’s Church, 1351 Main Street, Tewksbury. Interment to follow at Tewksbury Cemetery, 172 East Street, Tewksbury. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the New England Center for Children, 33 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 or online at www.necc.org