BOOTHBAY HARBOR — Erla Browne Kelley, 99, died Dec. 25, 2013, at St. Andrews Village. She was born Nov. 7, 1914, in Bowdoinham to Erle and Hazel Cornish Browne. She grew up on Browne’s Point in Bowdoinham. She graduated from Coombs High School in the class of 1932. She graduated from Gorham Normal School in the class of 1934.

She started teaching in Mars Hill and then moved back to Bowdoinham to teach in a oneroom schoolhouse. She married Ransom P. Kelley, and retired from teaching to become a homemaker raising her family.

Family was very important to Erla, and she always enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She and her husband moved to Southport in 1955. She was very active in the community. She volunteered over 50,000 hours with the St. Andrews Hospital Auxiliary. She worked in the Auxiliary coffee shop and was one of the original founders of the St. Andrews Thrift Shop. She was also a member of the Boothbay Garden Club, Southport United Methodist Church, and a lifetime member of the Wiscasset Yacht Club. She was the best baker and loved making apple pie, blueberry muffins, strawberry rhubarb pies, and carrot cakes for all of the local bake sales.

She was predeceased by her husband, Ransom P. Kelley, who died in 1990, and by a son, Erle R. Kelley, who died in 1978.

She is survived by a son, Alan Kelley and his wife Beth of West Gardiner; grandchildren, Erland S. Kelley and his wife Liz of Falls Church, VA, Elizabeth Kelley and her husband John Miller of Boulder, CO, Katherine Winglass and her husband Andrew of Bath; great-grandchildren, Sarah, Mae and Ethan Winglass, all of Bath, Clara and Ronan Miller of Boulder, CO; daughter- inlaw, Sally Chater Kelley of Bath.

Friends were invited to visit with the family from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 29 at Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Road in Boothbay. A service to celebrate Erla’s life will be held 1 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Southport United Methodist Church with Pastor Ami Sawtelle officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Bayview Cemetery in Bowdoinham.

Contributions in Erla’s memory may be made to the Southport United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 143, Southport, ME 04576.

You are invited to share your condolences by visiting the families Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay.

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