Lestra J. Kelly

Former Richmond resident, Lestra J. Kelly, 102, died on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at American Village Retirement Community, Indianapolis. She was the widow of Frank J. Schoemaker and Robert J. Juerling, both of Richmond, and of Luke Antoine, Stewart Wright and Col. (ret.) Edmonde B. Kelly of Leesburg, Florida. Services will be in Holy Family Catholic Church, Richmond, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2010, followed by burial in Earlham Cemetery. Calling will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 7, at Doan and Mills Funeral Home, National Road West, Richmond. Mrs. Kelly was born March 4, 1908, in Richmond to Lee M. and Josephine Powell Turner and was a member of the 1926 class of Morton Senior High School. She and her late husband Frank J. Schoemaker owned the Ward Machine and Foundry Company, 540 North West Fifth Street in Richmond. He died April 19, 1965. The business closed in 1970. She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Fritz (Francis William) Schoemaker; her granddaughter, Cathy Schoemaker Ramsey; and her brother, Joseph Turner. Following her marriage in 1967 to Robert B. Juerling, retired Richmond contractor who died in 1974, the couple moved to Florida. Mrs. Kelly was a charter member of Holy Family Catholic Church and served as the first elected treasurer of the parish Women’s Club. She also was a charter member of Indiana Theta Phi Sigma Alpha. She served as the first secretary of the Hoosier Hundred Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association and was a member of the Richmond Business and Professional Women’s Club and transferred her membership to the Ladies BPW Club in Leesburg, Florida, in 1968. She also was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the YMI. An active member of the National Council of Catholic Women, she served as a board member of the Richmond Deanery, including the presidency from 1958 to1960 and again from 1965 to 1967. She was mission chairman for ten years, vice president of the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Council of NCCW, a delegate-at-large from 1961 to 1967 and treasurer of the Council from 1961to 1963. A 55-year member of the Richmond Circle, Daughters of Isabella #350, she was the group’s regent from 1965 to 1967 and transferred her membership to the Connersville Circle when the Richmond group disbanded. In Leesburg, Mrs. Kelly was the founder of St. Paul’s Catholic Church Thrift Store, a popular parish activity for volunteers and community shoppers. The Thrift Store twice outgrew its facilities and provides a substantial income to the parish each year. She is survived by her daughter, Joan Schoemaker Bey of Indianapolis; stepdaughters, Catherine Schroeder, Richmond, and Martha J. Samuels, Indianapolis; stepson, John (Gail) Juerling , Indianapolis; brother, Lowell (Joyce) Turner , Fishers, Indiana; two sisters, Doris Ann (Alfred) Parret , Centerville, and Eloise Turner Spraggins, Bucyrus, Ohio; eight grandchildren, Anna Marie (Doug) Witt, Greenfield; Joseph Bey and John Bey (Beth), Indianapolis; Fritz (Brenda) and Frank D. (Tanya) Schoemaker, Richmond; Chris (Lori) Schoemaker, Racine, Wisconsin; Teresa (Dan) Turner, Eaton, Ohio, and Sue Ann (Larry) Goffinet, Alexandria, Indiana; eleven great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to the family via the guest book at www.doanmillsfuneralhome.com

Lestra J. Kelly

March 4, 1908 - May 2, 2010