Remembering Doradee Kelso

Last week when friends and relatives joined for a celebration of the life of Doradee Kelso, there were not many tears. Doradee didn't want tears. She wanted joy, so as the minister retold some of the family stories each member of the congregation that had come to honor her had individual memories of this tiny lady who brought laughter and love to the whole community.

My first memories of her were in the 1950s when our family was then two children and a third one on the way. We went in to the impressive gray stone church on the corner of Austin and Main and were uncertain where we should go. Doradee noticed our confusion and quickly came to introduce herself and show us the various classrooms where we would be welcomed.

We were lucky in that her husband, Judge Kelso, was teaching the class for young married people over in the old educational building. His lively way of teaching convinced me that this was a good arrangement for us.

I was even more impressed when the whole class was invited to the Kelso home for a Christmas get together. The decorations in the house became models for what I would like to do eventually for our home. Doradee had one of her trademark decorative bouquets, or arrangements of Christmas themes in every corner, on every table and wall. I was most impressed with a shiny cheese grater placed in the middle of their dinette table with Christmas greenery seemingly climbing over it. I thought that even I could do something like that.

I couldn't help but notice the three large portraits of their three daughters on the wall of the stairwell. I have remembered that as I keep adding pictures of our offspring and their offsprings to my walls. I really do not remember what we were served, but I think there was a large punch bowl in the middle of their big dining room table and lots of goodies around it. I was told that Doradee had made most of the snacks herself. (Later when I became a 'preacher's wife' I followed her example about hosting a fairly large group and making them all feel special.)

But what impressed me the most on that visit was a printed card on the vanity in the guest room upstairs. I guess I asked to use a restroom and was directed upstairs. Otherwise I don't know why I would have gone up there. But this card said something like this. "The Kelso family will go to Sunday School and Church at the Methodist Church every Sunday. Guests are welcome to join us, go to their own church choice or stay here while we are gone." I think there were times listed for each service and probably the address of the church. I was so impressed that there was that notice which did not make guests feel beholden to go with them, but also made it clear that having company was not going to change their Sunday habits.

After Lester started seminary in Kansas City and was assigned the church in Archie, I often thought of Doradee and wondered what she would do in whatever situation I found myself. My answer to myself was always that she would happily take care of the problem and not make anyone else feel guilty for not sharing in fixing whatever it was that came up.

For several years we were living away from Nevada as Lester served various churches in western Missouri. During that time I became very involved in United Methodist Women. I remembered with fondness the leadership that Doradee had given the Nevada branch of UMW and always knew that this great group of women here could always be counted on. I felt their support when I began to serve high offices.

The last time I remember talking to Doradee was early this year as I gave her a ride from the potato bar luncheon for Habitat for Humanity over to the church for a meeting of the Helping Hands circle. As we drove over she remarked that she thought Nevada was a very pretty town. I agreed with her and commented on how nice the streets looked with the new curbs. She was pleased that I had mentioned that improvement because she was proud of any improvement in her city.

The bulletin at her memorial service had a wonderful picture of Judge and Doradee walking away from the camera in a rustic lane with a dog at their heels. This symbolized not only that their walks now would be together again, but that the beauty of nature was primary in her joyful life.

She leaves us with hundreds of memories, a family that will carry on much in the same way as Doradee did, and for me, a model of how a gracious lady lives her life.