Funeral services for Tessie Ola Hooten Kelly, 74, who died Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, at Troy Regional Medcial Center, will be at 11 a.m. today at New Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, with the Rev. Jimmy Lee officiating.
Burial will be in the church cemetery, under the direction of Harrison Funeral Home. Visitation was from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday.
She was born Aug. 14, 1935, in Linwood, the daughter of Joshua Hooten and Syliviva Gray Hooten. She joined Star Hill Missionary Baptist Church and later was a member of New Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, when the two churches merged.
As a member of New Mount Pleasant, she was faithful and loyal.
She served for more than 30 years on the Senior Usher Board as president, until her health declined. She was one of the founding members of the Heavenly Four, managing it for more than 36 years.
As a member of the group, she sang throughout the Southern states.
She was also a member of the Concerned Citizens of Troy, the Pike County NAACP and the Marva Pierce Travel Club.
She enjoyed life by traveling and cooking for others.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John W. “Chuck” Kelly of Linwood; one daughter, Christine Kelly; and siblings Jimmy lee Hooten, Jessie Mae (Sister) Townsend, Lauffia (Bud) Hooten, Lillie B. (Seal) McKimmon, John Westly Hooten and Bennie Frank Hooten.
Survivors include Willie Hooten (Annie) of Clinton, Md., Elijah Hooten of Birmingham and Glenda Kelly of Troy; three grandchildren, Tongis Kelly (Femi) Sunday of Laurel, Md., Adrianne Hooten of Laurel and Chelsea Kelly of Troy; three great-grandchildren, Promise Kelly of Montgomery, Al Jaylon Gray of Laurel and Adyimka O’Sumeday of Laurel; one sister-in-law, Gertha McKinney of Birmingham; special friends, the Doug Hawkins Family, the Martha and Gray Drinkard Family, the Holly and Grey Anderson Family, the Ken and Peggy Cox Family, and the Harold Watkins Family; a special childhood friend, L.J. Scott of Detroit; a travel friend and special cousin, Etta Duncan of Troy; a friend, Sister Irene Kelly of Troy; and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.