Loraine Anne Kelley

Loraine Anne (Simons) Kelley was born on August 4, 1938, to Alfred and Thelma Simons. Born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, she was the second of four daughters. Her parents loved to entertain and hosted many missionaries around their massive dining room table. The stories she heard there fostered Loraine's desire to serve the underserved and to share the love and good news of Jesus through medical missions and community service. 

Loraine met Charlie, who became her husband of 61 years, at church when his family moved to the area. Loraine attended Houghton College while Charlie went to Penn State University. They both attended medical school in Philadelphia with Loraine at Women's Medical College. They were married during medical school on August 17, 1963. Their love for each other deepened over time, and all who knew them witnessed the joy they shared in being together. 

Their love for God, each other, and people led Loraine and Charlie to serve with Peace Corps and train medical students and residents at Nangrahar Medical School in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in 1965. Daughters, Lois (16 months old) and Ruth (5 weeks old) accompanied them for the two years they were in Afghanistan. 

Upon their return to the US, they settled in Indianapolis, and Loraine began her residency in Pediatrics at Methodist Hospital. She worked with the Marion County Health Department, first caring for mothers and infants, and later for adolescents in downtown Indianapolis. Loraine continued to invest in community with more international engagements, including a year with Charlie in the IU-Kenya program (which later grew into AMPATH Global) at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. There they served alongside Kenyan and American residents and faculty, and enjoyed hosting meals in their home. 

Wherever they were, Loraine and Charlie welcomed people into their home. For decades they hosted medical students and residents for regular dinners and Bible studies. They served in many different roles in their church and local community, frequently including hospitality. After retirement, Loraine's focus shifted to mentoring and discipleship of women physicians and younger women.

Loraine loved gathering with and encouraging others in grandmothers' prayer time, Bible studies, Christmas and Easter talks to keep the holidays simple, and Jesus-focused (making Advent wreaths and Jesse trees). She found delight in making hand-made cards, gardening, flower arranging, jam making, canning, baking, reading, and hosting dinners. For over thirty years, Bear Lake, Michigan was the site of many happy memories. 

In a life marked by passion for community and service to God by serving others, Loraine always took special delight in seeing her family's smiles as she cooked for, played with, and prayed over them. 

Loraine is survived by her sisters, Lois (Dale) Williams, Linda (Jim) Davis, and Louise (Dave) Baldwin; her daughters, Lois (Joe) Conway and Ruth (Peter) Goetz; grandchildren, Jonathan (Alissa) Conway, Rachel (Tylor) Alexander, Rebecca Conway, Joel Goetz, and Anna Goetz; and great grandchildren, Kairos, Ru, Maris, and George Alexander, and Charley Marie Conway. 

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Charles Kelley; and her parents, Alfred and Thelma Simons. 

In the last few months Charlie and Loraine focused on 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." These words encouraged her, and she shared them with others as her body failed. On December 30, 2024 from her home in Indianapolis, Indiana she was welcomed by her Savior. 

A gathering to remember and celebrate Loraine's life will be held Friday, January 17, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. at Faith Church, 9125 North College Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana. Livestream of the service is at faithchurchindy.online.church 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to those in need through Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis, IN (wheelermission.org), or Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon (ABTS, abtslebanon.org).