Posted on 04/15/2018
KATHERINE ELKINS KELLY (January 23, 1927 - November 6, 2017)
Katherine Elkins Kelly, the eldest daughter of United States Senator Davis Elkins and Mary Reagan Elkins, passed away peacefully in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, on November 6th, 2017. Katy, at 90, lived a long and "marvelous" life. Never one to step away from a challenge and always ready for a change, Katy and her loving husband, Charles J. Kelly of Buffalo New York, started their lifelong romance in 1947. Katy, a graduate of Simmons College, was attending George Washington Law School, when the dashing Naval Academy Lieutenant came to call on the Elkins' Washington DC home. As fate would have it, Katy answered the door and thus began a 70-year romance that found the couple traveling the world, raising a family and running a successful business. Katy was a thoroughly modern woman. She worked as an assistant editor of the Ladies Home Journal in New York while raising 2 children, and later helped manage the family real estate holdings in Elkins, WV. She was an early devotee of "health food" and exercise. An epic entertainer, Katy was known for interactive parties that brought together diverse groups in celebration, which were absolutely "divine." Fun and witty, Katy's true gift was making everyone she met feel special. Starting married life in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Katy moved to New York City and then Greenwich, CT, before heading out to Los Angeles in 1969. Katy loved to walk the palisades of Santa Monica, but never got the hang of Los Angeles traffic. In 1984, Katy and Charles moved to St Croix, USVI, and lived an exquisite empty nester lifestyle. The salt water, warm breezes and eclectic vibe was a match to Katy's buoyant spirit. In 1996 the couple landed in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX. With all the moves, Katy and Charles maintained a home in Elkins, WV, where they ran a successful business and established lifelong friendships. Katy is survived by her husband, son and four grandchildren.
Published in the Los Angeles Times on Apr. 10, 2018