Sandra Lee Kelly
Sandra Lee Kelly, 78, of Kingsville, Missouri, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
She was born on July 20, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, to the late Robert Jay and Geraldine Helen (Foster) Thornburg.
Sandy grew up in a Marine Corp family and moved several times until her family settled in Hemet, California.
She was a champion barrel racer and enjoyed raising racehorses. She was a 1963 graduate of Hemet High School.
After graduation, she worked at a Savings and Loan until she met her husband, Robert Michael Kelly, at Camp Pendleton. They were married on December 29, 1968, in Las Vegas, Nevada. They settled in Kansas City, Missouri, until 1985, when they moved to Kingsville. Together, Mike and Sandy had three children.
Sandy loved her family. She could often be found at choir concerts, school musicals, and home volleyball, football, and basketball games as she cheered for her granddaughters. She looked forward to phone calls from her grandchildren that lived out of state. She especially delighted in her great grandchildren and loved to snuggle with them and surprise them with random gifts.
She also loved her pets and devoted much of her time to caring for them. When not caring for her three dogs, or enjoying time with her family, she could be found shopping and wandering the aisles of local antique shops with her dear friend Judy.
Preceding her in death are her parents, her husband of almost 50 years and her son, John Michael Kelly (2006). She is survived by her daughters, Dawn Kelly, Granbury, Texas, Heather (Jim) Whitsitt, Kingsville; her grandchildren, Brandon James (Washington D.C), Megan (Ryan) Hedglin, Holden, Samantha James (Santa Monica, CA), and Chloe (Braden) Faust, Holden; her great grandchildren, Lila and Bennett Hedglin; her brother, Robert Jay Thornburg, Jr (Solvang, CA), her Aunt Elaine Sabas (Chicago, IL); cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Graveside services were held Tuesday July 23, 2024, at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville, Missouri.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Old Drum Animal Shelter 35 SW 101st Rd, Warrensburg, MO 64093.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Campbell-Cast Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.castfuneralhome.com.
