Carrie Jo Fleming Kelly

Carrie Jo Fleming Kelly , 94, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007 at her home in rural Aledo."I've had a wonderful life," was her assessment of things in late November after a terminal diagnosis earlier that month. "We've had lots of fun, haven't we?" She was a strong woman with lots of love, lots of spunk, and a delicious sense of humor. Carrie Jo came to her new husband's home on a beautiful hill south of Aledo in 1936 when they married. A native of Mineral Wells, she called herself a city girl who had to learn to live in the country. And country it was. She and her husband Pete Kelly, a bona-fide cowboy, lived next door to his sister and her husband, Dott and Joe Winston. There were no paved roads, no private telephone lines, an ice box that required block ice, and a Delco and wind-driven generator that provided electricity. Carrie Jo was determined to be an asset and set about learning the skills required â?? everything from killing chickens to be cooked for dinner and riding horses to help round up cows to making 50-100 biscuits for the hands and guests for breakfasts. She was fond of saying, "I came here as a bride. I had the happiest marriage and the happiest of times. I just love it out here."Her faith sustained her through a long life of good times and bad. She was a faithful member and worker in the First Baptist Church of Aledo for 70+ years. She taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and was a dedicated worker in the Preschool program. She loved her church friends dearly. She was a charter member of the board of the East Parker County Library, she was instrumental in planning and creating that organization, and volunteered in the first library on a regular basis. Carrie Jo loved to fish. Her favorite fishing companion was Pete, but after his death in 1965, she continued to fish with family and friends. One of her favorite stories concerned taking her grandson, Steve Reid on his first deep sea fishing expedition. She was enormously proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild and even began a whole series of original stories told to whichever of them was present. These stories were told on "lantern walks" when she would take the young ones "down by the creek" at dusk, sit in a comfortable spot and spin tales of Indian families who, just coincidentally, were going through life trials similar to the children's own situations. The tales were sequels, the stories sometimes continued over months. She loved to cook as well, and there was no family gathering, whether a grandchild appearing on her doorstep unexpectedly or a full-fledged holiday celebration, that did not involve food and lots of it. Carrie Jo Kelly was a loving, spirited, witty, and talented woman who left her colorful mark on lots of lives. She is survived by a son, James Robert Kelly of Caddo; a daughter Jerry Kelly Reid of Aledo; a daughter Kathy Kelly Sneed of Fort Worth; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Funeral services are scheduled 1:00 PM Friday, February 9, 2007 at the First Baptist Church Aledo. Burial will follow Aledo Brown Cemetery. Visitation will be held 6-8 PM Thursday at White's Funeral Home, Weatherford. Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Aledo or Alpha Omega Hospice