Sarah H. Kelly

Thursday, February 9, 1933 - Saturday, April 6, 2024

Mrs. Sarah H. Kelly of Hartford passed away Saturday, April 6, 2024 at her home. She was 91. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in the chapel of Sorrells Funeral Home of Slocomb with Rev. Larry Newton and Rev. Cynthia Seifert officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Baptist Church Cemetery with Sorrells Funeral Home of Slocomb directing.

 The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday beginning at 10:00 a.m. and continuing until service time. 

In lieu of Flowers please make donations to Union Baptist church Cemetery Fund at 4149 County Road 44, Hartford, AL 36344. 

Jackie was born February 9, 1933 a quarter of a mile west of Union Baptist Church in the area where the Hagler’s have lived since 1880’s. She was the eldest child to the late Alphus and Era Hayes Hagler. Jackie graduated as valedictorian from Slocomb High School in 1951. She then went to Alverson Draughon Business College in Birmingham, AL in 1953. She began college at Troy State with Virginia Kelly Murphy, who would become her sister-in-law. On April 16th, 1954 she married Max A. Kelly and moved to Columbus, GA where Max was serving in the Army. Jackie began work at Ft. Benning in 1954. She began as a clerk typist. In 1964 they moved to Huntsville, Max working with NASA and Jackie with the Army. In 1970 Jackie’s niece Vanessa Hawthorne, who they adopted a few years later came to live with them. Jackie’s career in Huntsville included work with Hercules Project Office, Procurement & Production, Viper Project Office, Safeguard and Chief of Contracts for the Patriot Project Office. In 1984 they moved to Kwajalein Marshall Islands where she served as Chief of Contracts for Kwajalein Missile Range. During her career she continued her education ending with her masters in business from University of Oklahoma. She and Max traveled the world during their 69-year marriage going to every continent excluding Australia. Later in life they returned home to the farm North of Slocomb where Jackie grew up. Her passions were her family, travel, real estate, tracing her family’s genealogy, and serving her community while attending Slocomb First United Methodist Church.  

In addition to her parents, brother, James H. Hagler, and sister, Tommie Jo Hawthorne preceded her in death. 

Survivors include her spouse of 69 years, Max Kelly; daughter, Vanessa K. Epperson (Joe); grandchildren: Tasha Karr (Chad Sorrells), Sean Karr, and Louis Epperson; sister, Gwendolyn H. Seeliger (Chuck); nieces: Cynthia Siefert (Chris), and Katherine Entzminger (Bryan); great nieces: Abby Siefert, and Allyssa Entzminger; great nephew, James Entzminger; other extended family and friends.   

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Mrs. Kelly’s long-term providers: Rosetter Gomes, Bryan Davis, and Lois Simpkins.