Sandra K. Kelly

Sandra (Sandy) Kay Kelly, née Niederman, passed away peacefully on August 13, 2025 after a long and courageous battle against cancer.

In 1943, Sandy was born to Paul and Verna Niederman in Mason, Ohio. She was joined in 1945 by her sister, Barbara.

In 1961, she graduated from Mason High School as the salutatorian of her class, and took business classes after graduation. She met the love of her life, Martin Kelly, while working at General Electric. She was told at the time that Martin was “too sophisticated” for her, but she proved otherwise during a very happy 52-year marriage.

Sandy supported Martin as they traveled the country and raised a family together. She was not flustered by the news that they were moving from Cincinnati to Atlanta and then to Houston and then to Connecticut and then to Chicago and then to San Diego and back to Connecticut and then to Cincinnati and then to Minneapolis and then back to Cincinnati. She encouraged her kids to “bloom where you are planted” and to “make the best of every day.” When her kids repeated that advice to her later in life as she encountered challenges, she joked, “I can’t believe you guys fell for that nonsense!”

Sandy doted on her family and always had an encouraging word for others. She enjoyed being part of a community. She loved her job at the Mason Community Center, where she worked with seniors and was delighted to sit in on a card game when one more player was needed. The same was true when she worked at Mason Christian Village and helped senior citizens start lives in their new homes. For decades, she was a warm and comforting presence at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in West Chester, having converted to Catholicism on her wedding day.

No matter how great the challenge, Sandy never complained. She overcame a heart attack, a stroke, and multiple bouts of cancer, yet she told everyone that she was fine and asked how they were doing. She managed a large and hectic household while making it look easy. She did get nervous when the Bengals or the Reds or Notre Dame were behind early in a game, and would announce that she was leaving to fold laundry.

Sandy loved Christmas, including shopping with her sister for presents for loved ones and setting up a Hallmark Christmas village in her home. She adored old-time western television shows and thought that grumpy Doc Martin was a good person. She believed that birthday cake should always be eaten in a large bowl of milk and was mildly perplexed that most of her family did not follow that tradition. She loved to play cards and enjoyed winning, but denied that she was competitive (editor’s note: she, like her mother, was very competitive at card-playing). Sandy was a joyful and kind person who will be dearly missed by those who knew her.

Sandy is survived by her six children: Kimberly Kelly Smiddy, David (Caryl) Kelly, Brian (Mary-Alis) Kelly, Mike (Kristi) Kelly, Elizabeth (Shane) Williamson, and Tricia (John) Gavigan. She is also survived by her fifteen grandchildren (Lauren, Erin, Tori, Abbe, Katie, Will, Alex, Nora, John, Sydney, Lainey, Avery, Audrey, Lindsey, and Reese) and three great-grandchildren (Colton, Isaiah, and Levi). Sandy was reunited in heaven with Martin, her parents Verna and Paul Niederman, her sister Barbara Helsinger, and her brother-in-law Dan Helsinger.

Funeral services will be held at St. John the Evangelist Church in West Chester, Ohio on Monday, August 25, 2025. Visitation will begin at 10 am with Mass to follow at 11 am. She will be buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mason, reunited with her beloved parents, husband, sister, and brother-in-law. Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Mueller Funeral Home, Mason.