Obituary for Karen Elizabeth Kelly (Davidson)
Karen Elizabeth Kelly
(nee Davidson, formerly Smith)
Karen passed away peacefully at Kingston General Hospital on March 4, 2021. Beloved mother of Alan Smith (Kelly Spencer) and Liana Smith, she is also mourned by her grandson, Bryan Smith (Krista) and great-grandson, Colton, as well as her extended family of Spencer grandchildren. She was the loving Nana of Gage Smith, who sadly pre-deceased her in 2020.
Karen was raised in Hamilton, ON, by her late parents, Mary and Bruce Davidson. She studied Secretarial Science at Ryerson Institute, where she met her husband of forty-two years, Ralph Smith. They divorced but remained friends until his death in May, 2020. Upon her re-marriage in 2007, she became the devoted wife of Cameron Kelly, who survives her, now living in Mississauga, ON. Health issues forced them to live apart, but she remained lovingly concerned for Cam’s welfare until the end. An only child, Karen considered herself blessed by the acquisition of her step-sister, the late Lynn Gleason (Dennis) of Brockville, when her widowed father re-married in 1984.
Karen held several administrative assistant positions, including nine happy years at St. Lawrence College in Kingston. She was active in nursing home volunteering for many years, involved with her churches in West Hill, Brockville and Kingston and enjoyed a long association with the wives of Rotarians club, the ‘Rotary Anns’. She was an avid reader, and took great pleasure in recording favourite verses and sayings for later reference. She enjoyed her gardens, and always took pride in keeping her outside environment as well-kept as the inside of her home. Prolific in many needle crafts, in the last several years Karen dedicated herself to sewing bibs for her grandson, Gage, and continued to supply these for the KidsInclusive Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital, right up until her recent hospitalization.
A natural extravert, Karen will be remembered fondly by her many friends and neighbours from her years residing in Scarborough, Kingston, Brockville and most recently, the Chartwell Conservatory Pond Retirement Residence.
Karen was a woman of deep Christian faith. A visitation to be held at the Wartman Funeral Home, 980 Collins Bay Rd, Kingston on Wednesday, March 10th, 2021 with a service of remembrance officiated by the Rev. Michael Putnam following.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the visitation and funeral will be limited. Family and friends wishing to attend are asked to RSVP with Wartman Funeral Home by going to her obituary on our webpage, under service details and clicking on the blue RSVP button, or by phone at 613-634-3722 or email at wartmanfuneralhome@sympatico.ca.
In lieu of flowers, it was Karen’s wish that any memorial donations be made to PlanCanada.ca, Selby United Church, or the Canadian Cancer Society.
(nee Davidson, formerly Smith)
Karen passed away peacefully at Kingston General Hospital on March 4, 2021. Beloved mother of Alan Smith (Kelly Spencer) and Liana Smith, she is also mourned by her grandson, Bryan Smith (Krista) and great-grandson, Colton, as well as her extended family of Spencer grandchildren. She was the loving Nana of Gage Smith, who sadly pre-deceased her in 2020.
Karen was raised in Hamilton, ON, by her late parents, Mary and Bruce Davidson. She studied Secretarial Science at Ryerson Institute, where she met her husband of forty-two years, Ralph Smith. They divorced but remained friends until his death in May, 2020. Upon her re-marriage in 2007, she became the devoted wife of Cameron Kelly, who survives her, now living in Mississauga, ON. Health issues forced them to live apart, but she remained lovingly concerned for Cam’s welfare until the end. An only child, Karen considered herself blessed by the acquisition of her step-sister, the late Lynn Gleason (Dennis) of Brockville, when her widowed father re-married in 1984.
Karen held several administrative assistant positions, including nine happy years at St. Lawrence College in Kingston. She was active in nursing home volunteering for many years, involved with her churches in West Hill, Brockville and Kingston and enjoyed a long association with the wives of Rotarians club, the ‘Rotary Anns’. She was an avid reader, and took great pleasure in recording favourite verses and sayings for later reference. She enjoyed her gardens, and always took pride in keeping her outside environment as well-kept as the inside of her home. Prolific in many needle crafts, in the last several years Karen dedicated herself to sewing bibs for her grandson, Gage, and continued to supply these for the KidsInclusive Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital, right up until her recent hospitalization.
A natural extravert, Karen will be remembered fondly by her many friends and neighbours from her years residing in Scarborough, Kingston, Brockville and most recently, the Chartwell Conservatory Pond Retirement Residence.
Karen was a woman of deep Christian faith. A visitation to be held at the Wartman Funeral Home, 980 Collins Bay Rd, Kingston on Wednesday, March 10th, 2021 with a service of remembrance officiated by the Rev. Michael Putnam following.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the visitation and funeral will be limited. Family and friends wishing to attend are asked to RSVP with Wartman Funeral Home by going to her obituary on our webpage, under service details and clicking on the blue RSVP button, or by phone at 613-634-3722 or email at wartmanfuneralhome@sympatico.ca.
In lieu of flowers, it was Karen’s wish that any memorial donations be made to PlanCanada.ca, Selby United Church, or the Canadian Cancer Society.