CHICAGO, IL (September 20, 2017) – Mae Carolyn Kelly, one of the first Covenant missionaries to Ecuador, died Friday, September 15. She was 93.
Carolyn was born May 9, 1924, in Dubois, Pennsylvania, to Werner P. Erickson and Anna (Johnson) Erickson. Nine years after graduating high school in 1941, she married her high school sweetheart, James Theodore (Ted) Kelly, on August 17, 1950.
That same year she graduated from the Swedish Covenant School of Nursing. In August 1951, the Kellys and their three-month old son, Tom, sailed to Ecuador on the SS Gatun, a boat whose main duty was to deliver bananas.
During the 38 years they lived in Ecuador, they resided in Quito, Tulcan, Ibarra, and Cayambe. Carolyn was known for her hospitality to everyone, no matter who they were.
The couple moved to Chicago in 1989. Ted preceded her in death in 1994.
She is survived by three sons, Tom (Janice), Mark (Kathy), David (RoxAnn); a daughter, Karen (Carlos) Feijoo; 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Her memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 14, at North Park Covenant Church in Chicago. She also will be remembered at 2:30 p.m. during the monthly memorial service at Covenant Village of Northbrook.
