Sebern Kelly

Sebern Kelly, age 93, went home to be with our Lord on September 19, 2022. His memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at his beloved Woodlawn Baptist Church (Hopewell, VA) where he was a member for 44 years. Sebern Kelly was born in 1929 to Silas Kelly and Mary Elizabeth Fleming in the mountains of Dickenson County, Virginia. He was the oldest of thirteen children. Sebern was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather. In return, he was and will always be loved.

Sebern Kelly loved to tinker. He would recreate a toy with simple mechanical elements, or he could create a mold for a concrete lawn ornament from a plastic penny bank from a yard sale. As well as a love for working with his hands, he loved gospel music and kept a hymnal next to his chair to sing songs (if not listening to music on the TV or radio).

Sebern Kelly is survived by wife of 52 years, Nancy Kelly; daughter, Melissa Kelly Chenkovich (Jeremy); son, Walter Viles; grandsons, Walter Plugge, REX Chenkovich (E for Eebren); granddaughters, Christine (Jeff) Small, Kellie (Ray) Le Breton, Julie (Edward) Owen, Melayna Chenkovich; great-grandsons, Dylan Plugge, Zachery Plugge, Justice Hodges, Anthony Le Breton, Isaiah Le Breton; great-granddaughters, Jasmine Plugge, Ashlyn Small, Kelsey Lapham; great-great-grandson, Carson Plugge; sisters, Ellen Smith, Roxie Helen Anderson, Creasie Fleming, Eura Enoch; brother, Richard Kelly; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

The following is a self-written history started by Sebern Kelly many years ago to reflect his life:

"I was born on July 15, 1929 and grew up in Dickenson County, Virginia in the southwestern part of Virginia, in the mountains of Dickenson County near the Kentucky border. When I became old enough to work on public jobs, they were hard to find, so I went to Hellier, Kentucky and obtained a job working in the coal mines. After about eighteen months, the mine closed. I then enlisted into the Army in 1948. I was in the Coast Artillery for six years, stationed at different camps in the states and then in Germany for 28 months. After my enlistment, I worked in construction, builder supplies, Farrington Electronics in Alexandria, VA, also as a junior mechanic at Fruit Growers Express building and repairing railroad cars.

In 1970, I met Nancy Lee Williamson, and we were married on December 4th in that same year. Then our daughter Melissa was born (it was some years later that my adult son, Walter, blessed my life). In 1975, I came down with a back problem and high blood pressure and was unable to work all of that year. So, I had a lot of time to think, and I fully realized that I needed God in my life. On the 15th of May in that same year, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Savior. Nancy and I were baptized in a little mission church called Bren Mar Baptist. We were with that church until May 1978 when we moved to Hopewell and started attending Woodlawn Baptist Church.

But all through the years I felt like something was missing in my life, and I looked in 'all the wrong places' trying to find it. To me, life without God was like being lost in a dry dessert without enough water. I was always searching for something, but nothing the world had to offer satisfied."

Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .