Teresa Lynn Kelley, 62, of Cleveland, TN, passed away Saturday, August 23, 2014 at a Chattanooga health care facility.
She was born in Camden, SC, and had been a resident of Cleveland for the past 28 years. She was non denominational. She wrote and sang in Christian ministries, and was a Bible scholar and a well-known bookkeeper. She was very loved and will be missed by her children and family. She lived her life as a great beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all who knew her. She had no enemies. No one was a stranger to her; she loved with all her heart.
She was preceded in death by her father, Richard Donald Viola, Sr.; brother, Richard Viola, Jr., and sister, Donna Viola.
She is survived by her husband, James Lavon Kelley, Jr.; mother, Helen Ward Viola of Florence, SC; five children, Christine Michelle Lunsford and husband Christopher of Rocky Face, GA, Alfred Terry Brooks, Jr. of Cosby, TN, Sherry Denise Brooks of Cleveland, Marsha Lee Russell and husband David of Cleveland and Damion Lavon Kelley of Cleveland; seven grandchildren, Johnny Wayne Briggs, Jr. and wife Jacquelyn of Chatsworth, GA, Coty James Brooks of Cleveland, Kirsten Renea Chavis of Cleveland, Casey Alan Davis of Cleveland, Shelby Lee Davis, of Cleveland, Caleb Christopher Lunsford of Rocky Face, GA and Micah Allen Kelley of Haskell, NJ; one great- grandchild, Mattalynn Renea Wendling of Cleveland; two brothers, Robert and Christopher Viola of Florence, SC; two sisters, Gloria and Elsie Viola of Florence, SC; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 27, in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Pastor Michael Caywood and Chuck DeFriese officiating. Interment will follow at Tasso United Methodist Church Cemetery with Casey Davis, Johnny Briggs, Damion Kelley, Christopher Lunsford, David Russell, Tommy Stovall, Arlie Shannon and Danny Cooper serving as pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony and bagpipes will conclude the service.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, August 26,at the Ralph Buckner Funeral Home, who is in charge of arrangements.