Jane Muckleroy O'Kelly

Jane Muckleroy O'Kelly died peacefully at her home April 6, 2022, in Weir, Mississippi. At the time of her death, she was 92. For more than 50 years she was a key contributor to the health and well-being of the region.

Born February 1, 1930, in Cleburne, Texas, she was the fourth child of Paul Yater Muckleroy and Etta Lou Allison. She pursued the calling of nurse, becoming a registered nurse in 1950, after studying at Parkland Hospital Nursing School. It was there she met her husband, a medical student named William Benjamin O'Kelly.

The two moved to Mississippi following completion of their studies, setting first in Cleveland, then in the town of Weir in Choctaw County, where the two would remain for the rest of their respective lives. Up until Ben O'Kelly's death in 1989, the two were partners in life and in the medical practice, and after her husband's death, Jane continued to follow her calling, working in various clinics, hospitals, and the Attala County Nursing Home.

Jane was no less involved in her community than in the field of medicine, becoming an energetic and committed presence in the Methodist Churches of Weir, and, latterly, of Salem. She joined Weight Watchers, first as a member, and then as a leader, further contributing to the health and well-being of the area. In addition, she followed football avidly, keeping statistics for the Weir High School athletic team for upwards of thirty years, and an ardent fan of the Mississippi State Bulldogs and particularly the Dallas Cowboys. She was also an active gardener.

She is survived by four children: Patricia Jane O'Kelly of Washington, D.C.; John William O'Kelly and his wife Christie of Weir; Mary Katherine O'Kelly Lawrence and her husband Benny of Kosciusko; and Robert Kevin O'Kelly, of Somerville, Massachusetts. A fifth child, Paul Barrett O'Kelly, died in infancy. Additionally she is survived by two grandchildren, Joshua William O'Kelly, and his wife Katie, and William Benjamin Lawrence; as well as two great-grandchildren: Tristan William O'Kelly and Savannah Faye O'Kelly. Of her siblings, she is survived by her brother John; her other four siblings—Paul Harris, Helen, Neville, and Marjorie—all preceded her in death.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Salem United Methodist Church, 4500 McCool Highpoint Road, McCool, MS 39108.