M. Mildred Kelley

Mildred (Adams) Kelley, 97, of La Crosse passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, January 9, 2022 at Gundersen Health System.

She was born to Earl J. and Mary Winona (Shanabrook) Adams on January 19, 1924 on the family farm in Trempealeau, WI. She attended a one-room school house in Trempealeau until she reached high school where she played drums in the school band. She also played piano at Trempealeau Methodist Church as she was growing up.  After graduating from Trempealeau High School in 1940, Milly moved to La Crosse to attend La Crosse Vocational School, now Western Technical College, where she studied secretarial work. She worked at Trane Company from 1942 to 1950 and also worked part-time as secretary at Asbury United Methodist church from 1961 to 1986.

She met her husband, Patrick P. Kelley, on a blind date, on St. Patrick’s Day. They were married 17 months later on August 23, 1946 and enjoyed 63 wonderful years together. They loved to camp, bowl, and golf, frequently accompanied by cherished friends and relatives. They were also avid travelers, attending family events and visiting many people and places with or without their trailer in tow. Milly was very devoted to her children and grandchildren, who learned many life lessons from her. Family and friends were most important to her, spending many hours together around the dining room table playing dominoes, Uno, and the favorite Adams family card game, Zioncheck. She also enjoyed sewing, knitting, gardening, playing games, puzzles, Sudoku & her daily newspaper crossword puzzles. Music and playing the piano was a favorite pastime. Throughout her life, she attended many concerts, both professional and ones in which her children & grandchildren participated. Her church community at Faith United Methodist Church was also important to her. She attended faithfully each week for many years and enjoyed being the church secretary for 25 years. She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary, United Commercial Travelers and the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps Booster Club.

Milly is survived by her daughter, Karen (Steve) Munns of Onalaska, WI; grandchildren Karl Patrick Kelley, Loveland, CO, William (Nicole) Munns, Brown Deer, WI, Joseph Munns, Chicago, IL, Kathryn (Joseph) Welin, Holmen, WI; great-grandchildren Grayson, Elsa, Hadley & Dexter Munns of Brown Deer, WI; Clara & Elayna Welin of Holmen, WI; brother-in-law Jack Harbaugh of Holmen, WI; and many loved nieces and nephews.

Along with her parents,  Milly was preceded in death by her husband, Pat; sons Karl Paul Kelley and Kim Howard Kelley; in-laws Katherine V. (Smith) & Isaac H. Boomer; brothers Robert Adams, Warren Adams, and Gerald Adams; daughter-in-law Dawn (Krismer) Kelley; brothers-in-law Karl J. Kelley, Howard Kelley, & Jerome Kelley; sisters-in-law Helen Adams, Merna Adams, Lucille Kelley, Rose Kelley, & Nancy Harbaugh.

A memorial service will be held in the spring at Faith United Methodist Church in La Crosse. Her family would like to thank Laurel Manor Assisted Living Facility, Gundersen Health System, and Pastor Karen Bankes for the wonderful care given to Milly. We are grateful to have had this thoughtful, caring, welcoming, kind, loving woman as our mom and grandma.