James Raybon Kelley

James Raybon Kelley, 82, beloved husband, father and step-father, died October 21, 2019 at Maury Regional Hospital surrounded by his family and friends.  Celebration of Life will be conducted Thursday at 1:00 pm at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Dale Ledbetter and Brian Tally officiating.  Burial will follow in Santa Fe Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19.  The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Maury Baptist Association Disaster Relief Fund at 1521 Williamsport Pike, Columbia TN 38401. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born November 20th, 1936 in a holler off Porter Branch Road in Maury County, Raybon was the youngest of eight children born of the late Lawrence Hardin Kelley and Vinnie Elizabeth “Bettie” Southern Kelley.  A graduate of Santa Fe High School in 1955, he was recruited into the U.S. Army and served overseas in East Africa for 29 months and 15 days.  He returned home and married June Nellums and had three children, Tonya Lenita Kelley, Tammy Lynn Kelley, and Troy Hardin Kelley.  On November 6th, 1982 Raybon Kelley married Gwendolyn Quirk Morrow and soon after came to know the only One who really matters in this life his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ in 1983.  James Raybon Kelley retired from Monsanto Chemical Company after 38 years in 1996 and started serving in Disaster Relief Recovery with the Maury Baptist Association and served on and lead many Disaster Relief mission trips with the MBA until 2014.  Alive in Glory with his Savior, Raybon leaves behind his beloved wife of 36 years Gwen Quirk Morrow Kelley of Santa Fe; daughters, Tonya Lenita Kelley (Lisa Williams) of Vienna, VA; Tammy Lynn Kelley Wyatt (Keith) James of Lawrenceburg; son, Troy Hardin (Trisha) Kelley of Thompsons Station; step-sons, Steven Wayne (Melissa) Morrow, of Columbia; Stan Lee (Kim) Morrow of Hampshire; brother, Clifton “Tip” Kelley of Columbia; grandchildren, David Levi Wyatt, Alden James Kelley, Drew Hardin Kelley, Kendra Faye Kelley, Anna Kunxiang Williams, and Lauren Alexia Williams;  step-grandchildren; Alexandria Lee Morrow, Steven Parker Morrow, Elizabeth McKenzie Morrow, Anna Kate Morrow and Blake Andrew Morrow; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Mary Savannah “Archie” Kelley (Prentice) Fox, Evelyn Esther Kelley (Wilbern) Davis, Rachel Louise (Otis) Guthrie, Laura Lorraine Kelley (Dale) Ireland, and brothers, Roland Henry (Pat) Kelley, and Leroy (Ella Hester) Kelley. Active pallbearers will be David Levi Wyatt, Alden James Kelley, Drew Hardin Kelley; Kendra Faye Kelley; Steven Parker Morrow, Blake Andrew Morrow. Honorary pallbearers include the Men’s Fellowship at Santa Fe Baptist Church; the Fellowship of Men for Christ at Santa Fe and the men who serve with the Maury Baptist Disaster Relief Association.   A special thanks to the wonderful staff of nurses and doctors of Maury Regional Hospital who took care of Mr. Kelley during his last days, especially the night shift that supported room 178.