Mary Evelyn Kelley

February 6, 1935 – February 9, 2016

Services
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Lie In State: 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
Nelson & Sons Chapel Murfreesboro
448 East Burton Street, Murfreesboro

Monday, February 15, 2016
Family Visitation: 12:30 P.M.
Funeral Service: 1:00 P.M.

Word of Life Family Worship Center
555 Old Nashville Hwy
LaVergne, Tennessee

Interment
Sand Hill Cemetery
LaVergne, Tennessee

Mary Evelyn (Murray) Kelley, affectionately known as “Big Moma”, was born February 6, 1935 to the late Paul Murray, Sr. and Josephine Batten Murray, in Eagleville, TN.  She departed this life on February 9, 2016 while at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Nashville, TN, after a long illness.  Known to family and friends as “Ebb” or “Aunt Ebb”, she was the third of six children. 

She was preceded in death by two siblings, Pauline Staton and Paul Murray, Jr. as well as her eldest son, Larry Evans Murray.

Ebb professed her faith in Christ at a young age and was a faithful member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of the late Rev. O.C. McClain.  She was a very active member of the usher board and played a leadership role with the G.A. Girls organization where she and others were positive influences for many young women in the church family.  She later united with The Word of Life Family Worship Center under the leadership of Rev. Wellington A. Johnson where she served and attended as often as her health permitted.

Ebb was educated in the Rutherford County School System and worked for 22 years at Central State Hospital, from which she retired.  She never met a stranger and always greeted you with a smile.  She enjoyed crafts and working on word search puzzles, but her greatest enjoyment was spending time with her family.

Ebb was united in holy matrimony with Isiah Kelley, Sr. on December 28, 1965.  In this union, three children were nurtured and loved.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory, devoted husband, Isiah Kelley Sr.; loving daughter and son, Myasthia (Anthony) Editone and Isiah (Irene) Kelley Jr., both of Albany, GA.; seven grandchildren, LaKeysha Covington, Anthony Editone Jr., Keoisha Malone, Brian Editone, Isiah Kelley III, Larrece Kelley and Ivan Kelley; six great-grandchildren, Denise Covington, Amya Editone, Zyia Hill, Amhod Editone, Ava Kelley and Asiah Editone; three sisters, Cornelia Murray of La Vergne, TN., Maggie Johnson and Esther Murray of Murfreesboro, TN., sister in law, Dorothy Mulkey  of Smyrna, TN.; devoted nieces, Bertha Brown and Rosa Darden; devoted friends, Anna Lucille Johnson, Nancy Finney, Marion Appleton, Dorothy Smith, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and other friends from the Southwest Georgia area.