Thelma was the daughter of Frederick Alvin Kelly 1887 – 1948 and Kathryn Maud Kingery 1885 – 1978.
Thelma married Downer Lee Hull on 21 August 1937. Also known as "Pat" and later "Kelly" Hull. She was an educator most all her adult life. First getting her B.S. in education in 1936 in English from Fort Hays State College. She started teaching and didn't quit until she was 88 years old.
She was first a one room school teacher then a secondary ed, teacher. She was fantastic Journalism instructor with her small country town's (Woodston) school of 49 students winning All American and National Championships. She often held workshops in various colleges from Kansas to Nebraska. She was also a great theater instructor and wrote numerous plays for the local community. Her students often took first and second place at State.
When Pat retired from teaching secondary education in the early 1970's she went back to college and Mastered in Art getting her masters degree when she was 60 years old in May 1973 from Fort Hays State University. It was when getting her M.A. that she changed her professional name to Kelly. Her art instructor told her to put her name on her art work not just her initials. Well she didn't like her first name of Thelma, her nickname Pat wouldn't work because it wasn't her name so she decided Kelly was also a girls name and her maiden name so she took on the name Kelly Hull. As Kelly Hull she became a well known Western Kansas Artist. She held memberships: Society of Kansas Painters, West; Kansas Watercolor Society; International Society of Artists, :Hays Arts Council (Hays KS: Mid-America Arts and Crafts Association; Phi Kappa Phi; Sigma Sigma Sigma. Her name is listed in the International Directory of Art. Modern Artist Mag. had an article on her in about 1999.
Thelma Kelly Hull, daughter of the late Judge and Mrs. Fred Kelly. Although born in North Platte, Neb. her parents returned to Phillipsburg, Kansas, when she was about a year old. She lived there until her marriage to D. Lee Hull,
Kelly 's mature art work is well known and recognized in this region. She achieved this in her acrylic paintings and watercolor paintings of Kansas Landscapes, as well as in her stylistically very different aquarelles, and "identifiable style". She won numerous awards for work in juried art shows . Paintings by Kelly are included to this day in many public collections, regionally, including the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum, The Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan KS. The Hays Medical Center (Hospital) Hays KS, The First Presbyterian Church Hays,KS Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS the Midwest Bank Plainville KS to name a few. Her work is included in private collections throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Kelly taught as an art instructor through an outreach program from Colby Community College, Colby KS. until about 1999. The next year she taught it to a group of ladies in Kirwin KS. That year she retired she was 88 years old.
Kelly and Lee had three Children Helen Hitchcock, Tom Hull, Connie Hull 6 living grandchildren. When she passed away on June 29, she knew she had a great grandson on the way but never saw him. He was born a month and 2 days later. She was proceeded in death by her Parents mentioned above, her brother infant brother Carrol, her brother Lawrence(Dale) Kelly, Sister Helen (Pauline) Kelly, Morgenstern, and an Infant grandson Dane William Sims and grandson Abram Sims age 24
She was a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution, Was always active in her Church and civic organizations. A great cook taking an unheard of Sweepstakes championship on her Jelly. She was a wonderful Knitter and often took the sweepstakes at the fair with her knitting too. There just about wasn't anything she couldn't do if she put her mind to it. Every morning she would rise early and spend time with her precious Lord with Bible study and prayer. She was a wonderful Christian and love the Lord with all her heart mind and soul and her neighbor as herself. She was a very well like teacher and friend. She never had a bad word to stay about anyone. She always said if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all. And she lived by that code.
When she died at age 90 it was said of her because she had so much more to give even then "what a waste" as if she were much younger than she was. No one knew by looking at her she was that old.
She had a beautiful mind right up to the end. When she passed away and had just finished her final painting, just a few days before her last hosptial stay. Her beautiful heart just gave out. By Kelly from a brochure of hers and her daughter Connie Hull