A former registered nurse and librarian, Anne Mary Ruane Kelly, of Pride, died on April 25, 2017 in Baton Rouge after an extended illness. She was 90 years old and a resident of Pride.
Anne was born in Baltimore, Maryland to William and Clementine Heyne Ruane. She was a US Navy Nurse Corps veteran.
Anne graduated from The Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore, Maryland in June 1944 and from St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland in May 1947. She then went on to serve in the US Navy Nurse Corps.
When they met, Anne and her future husband, E. Dallas Kelly were both serving in the US Navy and stationed at the US Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. Anne & Dallas married on June 10, 1950 in Alameda, California.
While Dallas served during the Korean War, Anne traveled to Dallas’ home state of Louisiana to set up their home. They first lived in Baton Rouge, then in Pride, Louisiana. During her nursing career, Anne served at several hospitals, mainly at Greenwell Springs Hospital.
As she was in her fifties and retiring from nursing, Anne attended the Library Science Program at LSU-Baton Rouge. She then fulfilled her life-desire to work in a library by serving as a librarian’s assistant at both the Baker and Pride branches of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and as school librarian at Brownsfields Baptist Academy in Baker.
Anne is survived by:
a daughter, Margaret (John) Thompson of Prescott, Arizona
two sons and two daughters-in-law: Bryan (Brenda) Kelly of Pride, Louisiana and Gordon Kelly of Pride, Louisiana, and Geraldine Kelly of Nashville, Tennessee
four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Eugene and Martha Jo Ruane of Pasadena, California, Rev. Michael J. Ruane of Mt. Airy, Maryland, Peter and Patricia Ruane of Annapolis, Maryland, and Frank and Sandy Ruane of Westminster, Maryland.
She was the proud grandmother of seven: Karlin, Chad, Erica, Kelly, Brittany, Sarah & Nicole, and the truly great-grandmother of six: Karson, Easton, Chloe, Henson, Phoenix, and Shelby. She was anticipating the arrival of a seventh great-grandchild in June.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, E. Dallas Kelly, her oldest son, Kerry Kelly, three brothers, William Ruane, Charles Ruane, and James Ruane, and her parents, William and Clementine Ruane.
Pallbearers will be Karlin Kelly, Chad Kelly, John Thompson, Randall Cooper, Matthew Bennett, and Johnny Bankston, Jr.
Honorary pallbearers are Eugene Ruane, Rev. Michael J. Ruane, Peter and Frank Ruane.
Special thanks to the wonderful doctors who cared for her through the years and especially to the dedicated staff of The Crossing at Clarity Hospice in Baton Rouge who tirelessly cared for and provided comfort to Anne.
Anne was an avid reader who visited every library she encountered.
She was also a tireless adventurer having extensively traveled across the US and in Europe. Anne loved the beach, all kinds of flowers, hummingbirds, and especially owls. She inspired many to take chances, to travel, and to never discount living in places one would never imagine. Anne’s intelligent and often playful FaceBook posts were anticipated and appreciated by all who knew her spanning across the US and even as far as South Africa. She will be dearly missed.
Visitation will be Friday, April 28, 2017 from noon until 2 PM just prior to the funeral at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints-Pride Ward, 16135 Milldale Road, Zachary, Louisiana. Funeral will be at same location at 2 PM to be conducted by Pastor Perry Hubbs. Burial to immediately follow in the Pullam Family Cemetery, Pride.
Memorials can be made to the Pride Branch of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, Pride, Louisiana 70770, or to the Baton Rouge Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, 9457 Brookline Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809

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