Weltie B. Kelly

Weltie Burke Kelly of Beltsville, Maryland passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of January 7th, 2026. Born June 4, 1932 in Front Royal, VA to Wilson J. Burke and Mary Whitbeck Burke as the fifth child of fifteen, she grew up on their family farm and developed a strong work ethic caring for her younger siblings, sewing their clothes, supervising canning and other kitchen chores.

After graduating high school, she bravely followed her dreams of independence and moved to Arlington, VA to work for the NSA. Later, desiring to “see the world”, she moved to 5th Ave, NYC, and attended modeling school, at that time a requirement to become a “stewardess.”

After a year flying, she decided she did not like the culture of the airline industry regarding women and returned to NSA where she studied Russian and met her future husband, James Kelly of Albemarle, NC. They married on February 22, 1957 and she embraced her new role, becoming a dedicated mom of two, an accomplished seamstress, and wonderful wife, nursing her husband, Jim, at home until he passed away from dementia. Her ability and determination to combine her dreams, strong love of family, and sense of what is important, is an inspiration.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years James Kelly and her brothers and sisters Barbara Baer, Frances Beckner, Jackson Burke, William “Inky” Burke, Luther Burke, Thomas Burke, Susan Fischer, Jean Ann Johnson, Nancy Mottley, Peggy Sheetz, and Mabel Updike.

She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Sproul and spouse William Sproul of Severn, MD, son, Thomas Kelly and spouse Dolly Kelly of Eldersburg, MD; grandchildren, Robert Kelly and spouse Amy Kelly, Lisa DiSimone and spouse Matthew DiSimone, Emily Kuester and spouse Evan Kuester, Dana Sproul and spouse Amy Sproul; and great grandchildren Matthew and Anthony DiSimone, James and Liam Kuester, and Connor Sproul; and her siblings Stuart Burke, Clara Thompson, and Anna Bell Baer.