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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Fern Alice Kelly, 101, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, at The Windsor at Ortega in Jacksonville, Florida.
Fern was born on Jan. 22, 1925, in Erie, Pa., a daughter of the late Frank and Rose Miesel Heidt.
Throughout her life, she called several places home, moving from Pennsylvania to Steubenville, Ohio, in the late 1950s, and later settling in Poland, Ohio, where she lived from 1969 until 2000. She then spent more than two decades in Longview, Washington, before moving to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2024.
An exceptionally bright and accomplished woman, Fern graduated from Strong Vincent High School in Erie in 1942 before attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, where she earned the distinction of valedictorian of her class in 1945. Graduating at just 20 years old, she was so young that Pennsylvania’s minimum age requirement for pharmacists had to be lowered from 21 to 20.
She went on to enjoy a successful career as a pharmacist before transitioning into an artist. She began with art lessons in Steubenville, where she worked with pastels, watercolors, acrylics, and oils. Over the years she switched to enameling on copper and weaving. She continued to weave even as she lost most of her vision to macular degeneration. It was just one example of her determination to continue doing the things she loved, even when life presented new challenges.
Fern also believed in keeping both her mind and body active. During her years in Washington, she was a member of the YMCA of Southwest Washington, where she enjoyed water aerobics, weightlifting, and spending time on the elliptical. She was also a member of the Mount St. Helens Hiking Club and loved hiking and exploring the outdoors. An enthusiastic world traveler, Fern visited destinations across the globe, with Antarctica being the one continent she never had the opportunity to experience.
Even as she began losing her sight in 1999, Fern never lost her curiosity or her desire to learn. Through accessible books, magazines, and newspapers provided by organizations serving the blind, she continued to stay informed and connected to the world around her. Whether through her art, her travels, or her lifelong pursuit of knowledge, Fern embraced life with an independent spirit and a determination to make the most of every opportunity.
Fern leaves behind to cherish her memory her children, Cynthia (Jeff) Jolly of Jacksonville, Florida and Keith (Lynne) Kelly of Simi Valley, California; her grandchildren, Robin Kelly of San Francisco, California, Sean (Ali) Kelly of San Mateo, California, Conner (Ali) Jolly of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Keegan Jolly of Portland, Oregon; her great-grandchildren, Charles Kelly and Brooke Kelly; and her brother, Donald (Mary) Heidt.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Russell Kelly; her brother, Walter Heidt; sisters-in-law, Mary Heidt and Eleanor Heidt.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at Poland Riverside Cemetery.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Washington.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home in Poland.
Visit www.beckerfuneralhomes.com to send the family condolences and share your memories.
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