Norma Kelly

Norma Lee Hannas Kelly, 96, passed away peacefully on November 14, 2023 at the Hospice of the Valley, Ryan House, after a heart attack a few months earlier.  Norma was born on April 18, 1927 in Wildwood, Florida.  She was one of four girls born to Guy W. Hannas and Corabel (Cheshire) Hannas.  After her birth, her family moved to a small town in West Virginia. There she remained throughout her childhood and adolescent years.  

She attended Potomac State (a division of the University of West Virginia.  After a short courtship, she married the man of her dreams Thomas D. Kelly, a native of the D.C. area.  They moved several times throughout their marriage, Baltimore, Maryland, Springfield Virginia, Boston, Massachusetts and finally settling in Annandale, Virginia where they raised their only surviving child, Susan Ann.

The Willow Woods subdivision was home to many happy memories. Norma loved parties. Whether that was hosting them or attending them! She was an avid sports fan of golf, tennis, and football.  She could recite stats of any player and was always on her game when asked about new musicians, actors, or Hollywood in general!

Norma was a woman of faith, beauty, and grace and perfectly dressed at all times! Her door was open to all as she welcomed Tom’s co-workers, or Sues friends. Her resilience and “strong nature” never wavered.  VMI (Virginia Military Institute) in Lexington, Virginia was a huge part of the couples social life. Traveling all over the world with close friends was their passion. After Tom’s promotion to CFO at E-Systems, they moved to Dallas, Texas in the summer of 1978, with an interim stop in St. Petersburg, Florida. Norma made friends wherever they went. After Tom’s retirement, they built their dream home in Lexington, Virginia. Many summers were spent there, enjoying the great outdoors and their friends and VMI buddies.  

When the Grandbabies started arriving, they moved permanently to Phoenix, Arizona to be with their family.  Nothing meant more  to her than sharing in her daughter and sons-in-law life and the lives of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. We will miss our Mom, Norm,  and Nana each and everyday.

Norma is preceded in death by both of her parents,  and three sisters, Eileen, O’Nile, and Dorothy, in addition to her beloved, Tom. She is survived in death by her daughter, Sue (Kelly), Grandchildren Tommy(Jenny), Kelsey and Molly (soon to be son-in-law Aaron) and her Great Grandchildren, Brady, Teddy, and Mack.

A funeral Mass for Norma will be held on Monday, November 20, 2023 at Brophy Chapel, 4701 N Central Ave, at 4pm with a reception to follow.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the SS. Simon and Jude School Building Fund, 6351 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85017  https://ppay.co/7JdQY2SZbnk