Obituary

ARLENE WOODS KELLY
(1923 - November 8, 2015)

ARLENE WOODS KELLY, 92, of Huntington, passed away November 8, 2015, at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Born in Iowa in 1923, Arlene grew up in Huntington, attending Huntington High School and Marshall University, and later New York University, the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (Richmond) and Columbia Presbyterian Theological Seminary (Decatur). With a shared commitment to God and love of music, Arlene and her husband, Merle moved with their young children to Japan in 1957 to serve as missionaries with the Presbyterian Church, teaching at Kinjo Gakuin, a Christian Girls' School in Nagoya. Merle passed away in 1980 and Arlene remained serving in Nagoya, teaching at both Kinjo Gakuin and Nagoya International School and working at the Asian Health Institute until her retirement to Woodlands in Huntington in 1990. Arlene was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Florence Woods, her husband, Merle, her brother, Donald and his wife, Leona. She is survived by her brother, Elmer, four sons, Larry, Charles, Roy and Glenn, Roy's wife, Jenny, and her grandchildren, David, Naomi and Joshua, David's wife, Erica and Naomi's husband, Matthew. Arlene is also survived by her nieces, Beverly, Karen, Carolyn and Linda, and their husbands John, Jack, Charlie and Bob, her nephews, Paul and Dale, Paul's wife Dede, her sister-in-law, Karen, Karen's husband, David and their daughter, Lisa and her extended family in Iowa. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. November 16 at First Presbyterian Church, 5th Avenue, Huntington. The family will welcome friends and visitors at a reception at Friendship Hall following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Huntington. Much loved, Arlene will be dearly missed by her family and friends here and all over the world. And while we grieve our loss, yet we rejoice that she is at home with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.