KELLY, NAOMI FINE – went home to be with her Lord on January 3rd at Life Care Center of Rhea County. She was preceded in death by her husband Charlie Kelly; parents Grover and Myrtle Cox Fine; granddaughter Kelly Martin Streets; brother, Jewell and Ross Fine and sisters Reba Holland and Willie Arnold; and sons-in-law David Wisthoff, Sr. and Freddie Martin.
Naomi retired in 1977 after forty years with Robinson Manufacturing Company. She was a multi-termed past president of the American Legion Auxiliary unit 100, the Dayton City School PTA, and the Rhea Central High School Band Boosters. As loving as she was loved, Naomi was special to everyone who knew her. She had a tender, caring heart for animals as well as people, and fed wild animals like she did her pets – even the crows, much to the chagrin of her friends at her favorite garden center. She was a genius at gardening and her yard looked like a painting, a landscape of flowers, shrubs, trees, ponds, and wildlife. Something bloomed there year-round. Over the years, she supplied flowers, for many church, school, and garden club events. She was also appreciated for the vegetables and fruit she and her husband shared with many. She was known as an excellent cook, from her Sunday dinners to her pimento cheese and ham salad sandwich picnics and her renowned German chocolate, pineapple upside-down and coconut cakes, but she was most famous for her chocolate gravy breakfasts.
She will be sorely missed by her survivors; daughters Katie Wisthoff (Les)Wiedrick of North Dakota and Pug Martin and Brenda Marler of Dayton; grandchildren David (Tam) and Jonathan Wisthoff, Ruth (Brian) Skar of North Dakota, the Reverend Dr. Stephen (Grace) Wisthoff of Nebraska, Charlotte Churchill of Florida, Andrew (Karissa) Marler and Catherine Marler (Brenden) Rapp of Knoxville; thirteen great grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren, and her beloved brother Jake Fine, Dayton.
The family is most appreciative of Dr. Chetan Shah and his employees and the staff of Rhea Medical and Life Care Centers from whom Mrs. Kelly received outstanding, loving care. The funeral will be Saturday, January 8th at 2 PM following visitation from 11am. Coulter-Garrison Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Brenda, Catherine, Andrew & all the Family : We are
so very sorry for the loss of your Loved One. She surely was a
special person in all your lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with
you at this time.