Dolores Kelly
Dolores Kavan Kelly, 89, of Haxtun, was born Feb. 26, 1932, at Porter Hospital in Denver and died Sept. 26, 2021, in Haxtun.
Dolores was the youngest of three children born to Edward Benedict and Agnes Shavlik Kavan. She attended Denver parochial schools, including St. Vincent de Paul grade school, and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1949. Dolores graduated with an English education major from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, in 1953, with Phi Beta Kappa honors. She was active in many clubs at CSU and was president of her sorority, Sigma Kappa.
She married her college sweetheart, David W. Kelly, on April 4, 1954, in Denver at University Park Methodist Church. The newlyweds moved to Holyoke, where David farmed his family’s land. In 1957, Dave and Dolores bought a farm south of Haxtun, where they lived happily and raised a family. They were married for 62 years before David’s death in 2016. Dolores was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
Upon her marriage, Dolores joined the Methodist Church, was active in the United Methodist Women service group, taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school, and served on many church boards and committees.
Dolores was a substitute teacher in the Haxtun public schools. For 20 years, she was a Phillips County election judge. In June 2021, Dolores was recognized for 65 years of dedication to the P.E.O. Sisterhood by the Colorado State Chapter of P.E.O. Dolores also loved to play bridge.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, David; her parents; two brothers, Edward R. Kavan, at age 2, and Robert E. Kavan in 2003 at age 76; four sisters-in-law, Margaret Dora, Aileen Mumford, Ruth Kelly and Patricia K. Kavan; two brothers-in-law, James Dora and Franklin Mumford; and niece, Ann Mumford.
She is survived by her daughters, Delynn Kelly of Haxtun and Dr. Dana Heiny and husband Bill of Evans; son, David C. Kelly and wife Miriam of Irvine, California; granddaughter, Elizabeth Kelly, and step-grandson, Michael Adams, both of California; triplet grandchildren, Voran, Paxon and Brogan Heiny of Evans; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A private family memorial service will be held later.
Condolences may be shared at prairiehillsjulesburg.com.
Memorials are suggested to a favorite local charity or the Haxtun Hospital Foundation.
Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Julesburg is assisting the Kelly family.